A Dance with Destiny
by Jon-Ur
Summary: Everyone on Mewni assumes that the royal family is perfect and wonderful, but they have a dark secret: they execute any male heirs to the throne before they can grow out of infancy. Such would have been the fate of the heir to Queen Moon, had he not been rescued and adopted by a family of monsters. Follow him as he journeys to find his way in a world that doesn't know he exists.
1. Chapter 1

**A Dance with Destiny**

The halls of the Butterfly Castle rang with the wails of their queen, the Queen Moon. Said monarch was in her bedchambers, with the curtains and tapestries drawn to prevent any light from entering save a single small window, where a cool breeze floated in to give the queen some fresh air.

The midwives were all gathered around the queen's bed, whispering words of comfort and giving the queen herbs and potions to quicken the delivery while trying to induce as little pain as possible. A wet-nurse was nearby to feel the babe when (if) it began to cry.*

Queen Moon's breath came rapidly and in loud gasps. River had been forced to abdicate their chambers while his wife delivered and had retreated to the kitchen with some of his guards to eat his worries away. Oh how she wished he was there with her. He always knew what to say or do to make her feel better. Her body seemed to catch fire as another contraction ripped through her, bringing another scream to her lips.

"You must keep going," one of the midwives—Sherry, her name was—said when the queen faltered. "If you wait much longer…"

The rest did not need to be said; even in their world of magic and wonder, death by childbirth and stillbirth were still very real—and very frightening—possibilities. No, Moon thought, she would not let that happen; she would see her babe brought into the world.

She gave one last mighty push and used all her will to bring her child into the world. A shrill cry filled the room and a midwife gently picked up the newborn. "Well done, Your Grace, well…"

"What?" Moon asked. "What is it?"

"There is another," said another. "My Queen, you must push again."

Moon felt like weeping, but she steeled her resolve and began to push again. Fighting Toffee had been an easier bout, she reflected. At least then she knew all would be fine for her once it was done.

After another agonizing minute that felt like an eternity, another cry filled the room. Another midwife came over and picked the child up. Moon fell back, letting her head and sweat-filled hair rest on the pillows as her children were nursed and cleaned and wrapped in blankets.

"My Queen," said one of the midwives, her voice shallow and…fearful?

Moon lifted her head. "Yes?"

The midwife stepped forward, holding her oldest to her chest. _My heir,_ Moon thought happily. The other child would live as a princess, and a close advisor to the future queen.

"The child…" The midwife unwrapped the babe and lowered it so Moon could take a look. When she saw what the midwife—Dooria—was so afraid of, Moon gasped.

The child was a male.

Moon's eyes widened in fear. Whenever a male Butterfly would inherit the throne, dark times followed. Wars and famines that lasted generations and the kings were cruel and evil beasts. A millennia ago, it was decided that only a queen could rule Mewni. The commoners had adopted a saying that went "A Butterfly must always sit on Mewni's throne, and that Butterfly must be a queen" to make light of the strange tradition of there being no Butterfly kings. There had always been male Butterfly cousins and second-cousins, but never heirs.

That didn't mean that queens gave birth to sons, but it also didn't mean that those sons lived past infancy. Most queens left their sons out in the forest to die or be eaten, but some of the more mercifully queens would give their children away to orphanages or churches.

Moon swallowed the lump in her throat, her mind racing.

"What…what do we do?" asked Dooria.

Moon steeled her heart. "Take him into the Forest of Certain Death and leave him there, deep enough so he can't make his way back to my kingdom."

Dooria opened her mouth to argue, but then closed her mouth. The queen's word was law; nobody could argue her, not even the king.

Dooria took the babe back and wrapped him in a blanket and herself in a dark cloak. She mounted a horse and rode until the sun disappeared behind the trees and she could hardly see anything, save what was illuminated by the light of her torch.

She dismounted from her horse and pulled the prince's meager blanket off and placed him on the cold ground. The baby began to cry and reached for her, but she closed her eyes and turned to walk away when a twig snapped behind her.

"Who's there?" she demanded, spinning around wildly, fearful for her life.

A large silhouette loomed over her, and she held up her torch to get a better look.

The monster before her was muscular, with green skin and a single yellow eye. Stag antlers sprouted from his forehead and his hands were elongated into claws.

"What is it, honey?" asked a feminine voice. Dooria looked up; a female monster with ash-grey skin and white hair was floating above her on leathery bat wings. She wore a yellow sundress and blue slippers.

"Mewman," said the man. He sniffed the air. "And baby."

The woman landed and scooped up the prince. "Awww, he's so adorable!" she cooed, trailing her finger along the boy's cheek. "What's his name?"

"He…uh…he doesn't have one," Dooria stuttered.

The woman cocked her head. "How can he not have a name? Is he a newborn?" When Dooria nodded, the woman said, "That explains it. Wait a second…" She studied the boy's cheeks, where a faint pink outline of a crescent moon on each cheek. "Is he royalty?"

Dooria nodded, hoping for a means of escape, but the large man was still behind her, blocking off any means of escape.

The woman pushed the baby at her. "You must take him back immediately! It isn't safe out here."

Dooria nodded. "I can't; the queen ordered me to leave him out here."

The woman recoiled. "Why would she sentence her own baby to death?"

Dooria hastily explained the bloody history of the kings of Mewni, and the monster couple listened the entire time. "Please," Dooria said, "I can't go back while he's still alive."

The monster woman looked at her husband. "What do you think, Brutus?"

Brutus looked down at the baby. "We take?"

The woman brightened. "That's a great idea, honey! Let's adopt him! You know how much the girls have been asking for a baby brother." She turned to Dooria. "Come with us."

"What?" Dooria asked. How could she leave? The Butterfly Castle was the only home she had, ever since her mama and papa had died.

"Please," the woman pleaded. "He won't know anything about who he is or where he came from. Besides, do you really want to return to the service of a woman who would sentence her own child to death simply for being a male?"

Dooria thought for a long moment, then said, "Okay."

The walk to the monsters' home was rather short, and the prince slept through the entire journey. The monsters lived in a shack on the edge of a green lake surrounded by trees. Lights from torches could be seen from inside.

When they were about twenty feet away, the door burst open and a tiny girl with wings flew out. "Mommy's home! Mommy's home!" she cried, flying into her mother's arms.

"Pletinia, what have we told you about staying inside?" the woman—Laria—said.

Pletinia looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

Soon more children were coming out. There were three or four, counting Pletinia, and they all looked like a cross between their mother and their father—some had wings while others had antlers, but all of them were female.

"What's she doing here?" one of them asked. She had one eye and wings like her mother, though Dooria could see the tiniest peeks of antlers on her forehead.

"Children, this is Dooria, and she'll be staying with us for a while," Laria said calmly.

"Baby stay too," said Brutus.

One of the girls squealed. "Oh a baby! I love babies!" she cried, shoving past her sisters to look at the prince. She had one eye and was significantly taller than the rest of her sisters. "What's his name?"

Soon the rest of the monsters were asking the same question, and Dooria thought of the perfect choice:

"Cosmos."

* * *

* In medieval society, women in labor would be shielded by all light except for a single window since it was believed the sun would be damaging to the woman and the baby. Men were also forced from the room since it was believed that childbirth should be done only in the presence of other women, and since Mewni is based off of medieval Europe and England, I thought that that would be how they practiced childbirth.

A/N: I came up with this idea when I realized that there have been no kings from the Butterfly line, and that it seems like the kings have to marry into the royal family. Obviously this is pretty AU and I apologize to anyone who is mad about Moon being OOC. Please review to tell me what you thought. If enough people like this, I'll turn it into a full-fledged story, but if not, then I'll just leave it as a one-shot and a cool "what-if."

Bye!


	2. Chapter 2

**A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Two: Infiltration**

The day had finally come.

For fifteen years Prince Cosmos Butterfly had trained and prepared for this very moment—the moment where he would return home.

He had grown up in a wooden shack far from Mewman society, living amongst the monsters that populated Mewni. His mother and father had taught him how to live on his own, how to hunt his own food, how to care for himself, and how to be just. His guardian, Dooria, had taught him the ways of his people, and how to act, and what it meant to be a prince of Mewni.

She also taught him why he didn't live in the Butterfly Castle.

He wasn't wanted; he knew that. He had been cast out because his dear mother had believed him to be a threat to her kingdom. He intended to prove her wrong.

 _Don't get overconfident,_ the prince reminded himself. _You still haven't even been inside the castle._ He had ventured into a few of the smaller villages around Mewni, but he had never been inside the castle walls or caught a glimpse of his mother or father except in tapestries.

Then there was his sister.

Star Butterfly was her name, and the entire kingdom seemed to either despise or adore her. When she was fourteen she had inherited the wand, but had been sent to be fostered in a dimension called Earth.

He patted his blonde shoulder length hair and wondered, _Does she look like me?_ He had already promised himself that if he ever got his hands on a pair of dimensional scissors then he would visit her.

Dooria found him outside, sitting on a rock near the lake, examinging his appearance in the water. His hair was honey-yellow, and his eyes were a light cerulean. The moons on his cheeks had faded from a light pink to a mute grey.

Dooria came around to face him. When he was younger, her face had been young and lively, but after fifteen years in the wilderness, she looked gaunt and old. Her hair was a light grey as opposed to the flowery yellow of her youth. Her eyes, though, her brown eyes still had that same spark of life that they had always had.

She crouched in front of him and cupped his cheeks with her hands. "What is your name?"

"Griff," the prince said automatically. He had nearly memorized his alter-ego, to the point that he could think and talk as Griff on command.

"Where are you from?"

"Squalor's Hook," he said. Squalor's Hook was a shanty town on the outskirts of Mewni's capital city and was known for its high crime rate and levels of poverty.

"How do you speak?"

"Like a Squalor." The prince's voice changed, instead adopting a Squalor's Hook accent.

Dooria nodded. "Good." She leaned in and kissed his forehead. "I fear for you."

Cosmos reached up and took hold of her hand, squeezing it. "You could come with me," he said, returning to his Mewman accent.

Dooria took his hand and kissed it lightly. "You know I can't. The palace was where I grew up; I would surely be recognized by the staff and queen if I were to return. Besides, you must make this journey on your own."

Cosmos nodded, keeping his tears at bay. "I understand."

Dooria sighed deeply. "It is almost time. Are you prepared to go?"

"Mm-hmm."

Dooria shook her head. "Not yet." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a tiny bottle of black liquid. She uncapped the top and poured a smidge of it onto his hair. She reached in and began to spread the liquid around. Cosmos remained quiet, having gone through this before. After a few minutes Dooria took her arms back and let the prince examine his reflection in the lake—his hair was now jet black, a perfect cover for his normally yellow hair.

Then she took a bottle of cream and wiped it over his cheek marks, effectively concealing his identity. Griff stepped back and wrapped his arms around the old midwife, who hugged him back. After a long while, they stepped back.

"You should go," Dooria said, wiping a tear from her eye.

Griff nodded and turned away, not looking back. _If I look back, I'll never leave._

His mother and father were waiting for him, along with his five sisters. The eldest was Lania, who had a lithe frame and bat wings. She was essentially a copy of Mother. The second oldest was Lyan, who had stag antlers and claws and grey skin. The middle child was Ogora, who had one eye and was the tallest child. The fourth one was Megarra, who had wings and antlers. The youngest was Pletinia, who had wings and claws. All of them were crying.

Mother wrapped her arms around Griff and hugged him tight. "Oh, my little prince."

"Calm, Mother," the prince said, "I am only going away for a short time."

"Promise me you'll stay safe," said Mother.

"I promise," Griff said.

"Keep safe," Brutus said, placing a massive clawed hand on his son's shoulder.

"I will."

The girls each gave a teary farewell, each forcing him to promise that he would be safe, that he would return soon, and that he would make them all princesses when he became a king. _I don't even know if I'll survive this journey,_ Griff thought, _much less become king._

At midday, Griff, Lania, Ogora set off for Castle Butterfly. The journey took nearly three days, but eventually they reached their goal: the forest outside of Mewni's capital city.

"The king's coming!" Lania shouted from high above them.

"How close?" Griff called. The king was known to hunt in the same area every fortnight, and it was a simple task to calculate when he would venture out again.

"Close enough!" she called.

Griff turned to Ogora and said, "Now."

Ogora nodded and let out a massive shriek that would've made the strongest men turn to jelly. Griff pulled out his swords and began to shriek. "Help!" he called. "Help!"

"Hello?" came a voice.

Griff slashed wildly at Ogora but left enough space so that he didn't hurt her. Ogora yelled again and smashed her massive fists on the ground, shaking it. Ogora roared, so loud that birds fled from the tops of the trees, hundreds of stories above them.

"Hi-ya, monster!" cried a fat blonde man in a grassy loincloth. The man threw a spear at Ogora, who rolled to the side, avoiding the spearpoint. "Die!"

Ogora gave a final shriek and fled. "Follow her!" said the man in the loincloth. A few knights in royal steel armor and blue cloth with a yellow five-pointed star on the chest.

"Are you alright, son?" the man asked. He had blue eyes and a long beard spattered with mud.

 _My father._ "Oh, thank you, sire!" Griff cried, throwing himself at the king's feet. The sound of metal flying through the air surrounded him, as half a dozen spears were pointed at him. The king held up his hand. "Now, now, that won't be necessary." He turned to Griff. "What's your name, boy?"

 _Cosmos._ "Griff, Your Grace,"

"What are you doing way out here, Griff?"

 _I'm here to reunite with my family._ "M-My family and I got lost on our way from the capital."

"And where are they?"

"They…they…" Griff made himself cry, covering his eyes with his hands. "

The king seemed to understand. "Oh." He glanced around nervously, until he said, "Uh, listen, why don't you come back with us?"

Griff looked up hopefully. "Really?"

"Are you sure that's safe, sire?" asked one of the knights. "He could be a bandit."

"Come now, Sir Vardis, can't you see this child has just lost his parents? I say we take him back to the castle and let him join the staff." The king massaged his beard. "Yes…I'll make him my royal cupbearer!"

"Oh thank you, Your Majesty!" Griff said, falling to his knees and bowing before the king's feet. He would've kissed them, but there was mud between the king's toes. _Ew._

King River laughed merrily. "Come, come, let's get you some food and a change of fresh clothes. Guards, ride ahead and tell the Knight of the Wash to prepare some new linens for my newest cupbearer."

"Yes, Your Majesty," they said, mounting their horses and galloping off into the woods.

The king put his arm on Griff's shoulder. "Come along, boy, we have quite the journey ahead of us."

A few hours later, Griff and the king were riding through the streets of Mewni's capital on white horses as fast as they were beautiful. Around then, seven guards in white plate armor with white cloaks rode with them—the Queensguard, escorting their king to his castle.

As the massive gates opened, Griff couldn't help but gasp in wonder as the massive castle seemed to stretch higher than the mountains and scrape the sky.

River laughed. "Impressive, isn't it?"

Griff nodded. "It certainly is, My King."

 _I'm home._

* * *

A/N: So what did you guys think? Next chapter we'll see Griff (Cosmos) meet Queen Moon, as well as a few of the other knights and squires around the castle. Also, River adopting Griff as his cupbearer is basically him taking him in as a squire, so they'll be spending a lot of time together.

If you like where this story is going then please favorite and follow so you can be alerted to when I update, which should be happening either weekly or biweekly; the only reason this is coming out today is because it was intended to be part of Chapter One, but I decided to break them in two.

Finally, please leave a review because it helps motivate me to write more and honestly just makes my day, so help me out.

Bye!


	3. Chapter 3

**A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Three: Squires**

 _My name is Griff,_ Prince Cosmos thought to himself as he dismounted his horse. _I was born in Squalor's Hook to a harlot named Myranda. We were venturing to the capital to visit a family friend when we were attacked by a monster. My mother was killed. I'm alone now._ A stable boy took the reins and led the stallion away to the stables. The knights dismounted and handed their mounts to the squires, who rushed to collect all of their knights' things and deliver the horses to the stables.

Griff looked around, looking for the king. In the awe and excitement of seeing the castle for the first time, he lost track of where King River could have gone. Griff him walking into the castle, accompanied by two or three of his knights.

Making haste, Griff caught up to him just as they crossed the threshold of the castle's entrance. The interior was even more impressive than the exterior, thought Griff, marveling the high ceilings and extravagant paintings that lined the walls and hung from the ceilings.

The doors opened to a massive Great Hall, where two thrones sat atop a dais raised on stairs. Marble pillars held up the ceiling, and a great carpet led toward the dais. A great chandelier hung from the ceiling, and stained-glass windows let bright sunlight into the throne room.

"Wow," Griff breathed, awed. All his life, he had never seen such beauty, and Dooria's stories didn't do the castle justice.

King River laughed. "I know how you feel. The first time I came here, I was just as surprised as you."

"It is…wonderful, Your Grace." Griff swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump that had formed in his throat. _This is my home_ , he thought. _I was born here._ He suppressed the urge to scowl. _I should have lived here too._

"Your Grace," one of the guards said, "perhaps you should change; your clothes are not suitable for your kingly duties."

King River looked down. "Hm. Perhaps you are right; you know how the queen gets when I drag mud through the house." He laughed loudly, then said, "Come along, Griff. I'll show you around the castle."

"Of course, sire," Griff said.

The king led Griff up several flights of stairs, through nearly three dozen corridors, over a small ravine ( _who has a ravine in a castle?_ ) and down an escalator, showing him the barracks, stables, eating hall, servants' quarters, and the shopping center.

"Ah! Here we are!" the king said, waving his arm in front of a set of double doors. "These are my quarters; wait out here while I go change."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Griff said.

The door closed, and Griff could hear the sound of loud crashes and slamming coming from within. _What on Mewni is going on in there?_ Griff wondered, but then realized that he didn't want to know and turned around, putting his back to the entrance.

After a while Griff zoned out, and was only roused when a voice directly in front of him said, "Excuse me?"

Griff looked up. A tall woman was standing in front of him, with striking white-blue hair pulled up into a heart-shaped bun on her head, and pink lipstick. She was wearing a dress with blue skirt that looked like a heart and a blue and white dress with long blue gloves. She wore a gold crown with a purple diamond in the center. Purple diamonds were on her cheeks. Griff recognized her easily: the queen.

 _Mother…_

"Who are you, and what are you doing outside my bedroom?"

Griff stuttered for a moment before finding the right words: "I beg your pardon, my lady, but King River requested me to wait out here while he dressed himself."

The queen raised an eyebrow. "And who are you?"

 _I'm the son you ordered be left in the middle of nowhere._ "My name is Griff, My Queen. Your husband appointed me his royal cupbearer."

The queen's lips thinned. "I see. Where are you from, Griff?"

"Squalor's Hook, Your Majesty."

"And what are you doing here?"

"Well, like I said, your husband made me—"

"—his royal cupbearer, I know, but what is a boy from Squalor's Hook doing in Mewni's capital?"

"My mother was killed by a monster outside your walls, my lady, and King River happened upon me. Pity, most likely. That's likely why he took me in."

Something in the queen's eyes seemed to soften. "Oh. I see." She drew herself up higher, puffing out her chest. "Please excuse me; I must speak with my husband."

"Of course, milady," Griff said, bowing and moving to the right. Queen Moon walked passed him and into her royal apartment. A moment later the king appeared, sticking his head out of the slight gap in the doorway.

"Griff," he said, glancing behind him, "I'm afraid I'll be tied up for the rest of the afternoon. Why don't you go down to the training yard and see if some of the other squires will let you practice with them?"

"Okay," Griff said. The door slammed shut a second later, and Griff began to walk down the hall when he heard the sounds of the bed shaking and the king laughing. _Are they…grossgrossgrossgrossgross!_ He basically sprinted down several more flights of stairs, blocking his ears with his hands. He kept walking until he had a most alarming thought:

 _Wait a second…where's the training yard, again?_

-o-

After a half an hour of searching (and several wrong turns), Griff managed to find the training yard, where several of the knights were either sparring with each other or slashing away at straw dummies. Griff cautiously walked over to one of the knights practicing with a dummy and asked, "Excuse me?"

The knight stopped what he was doing and turned to face Griff. The knight was a head taller than Griff, with steel plate armor and a blue surcoat with a yellow star on the center. "Eh? Oh. What do you want, whelp?"

 _For you to get a breath mint._ "I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but can you tell me where I can find the squires?"

The knight grunted. "Over there." He pointed to a trio of people watching a few of the knights spar. Griff thanked the knight and walked over to them, skirting around the men practicing. Now that he was closer, he could make out some of the lesser details about the squires.

One of them was a girl with short orange hair and green eyes. She wore a blue tunic with a red belt and red spiked shoulder pads. The largest one was a fat boy with a green and brown tunic and a spiked metal cap. The final one was an old man with a hunched back and a long grey beard that ran down to his waist. When they saw him come closer they stopped watching and eyed him curiously.

"Can we help you?" the girl with orange hair asked.

Griff raised an arm. "Hi. My name is Griff, and I'm—"

"—the king's new cupbearer, we know."

"Oh." There was a pause. "Uh, the king said you guys could help me learn how to fight."

"Oh." The girl's face brightened. "Of course we can help you with that!" She stuck her arm out. "I'm Higgs. This"—she gestured to the fat boy—"is Baby Man, and the old guy"—she nodded to the old guy—"is Old Guy."

"I'm old!" said Old Guy.

Griff laughed. "Nice to meet you all."

Higgs waved her arm. "Come on, I'll show you how to put armor on."

They spent the next few hours practicing with swords and shields. Griff had a few bruises along his arms and legs, and he was pretty sure Baby Man gave him a black eye, but he didn't care, he was having too much fun.

"Ha!" Griff said triumphantly as he knocked Higgs's sword out of her hands with his own. "Disarmed again! That's, what, six times now?"

Higgs scoffed playfully and punched his arm. "Don't get cocky; that was just a lucky shot."

Griff wiggled his eyebrows. "Then what do you call the other five?"

Higgs looked like she was going to say something, but just then a loud horn blew, and the knights began to sprint toward the castle. "What's going on?" Griff asked, dropping his sword. "Are we under attack?"

"Worse," said Baby Man, "it's dinner time."

-o-

Supper in Castle Butterfly was anything but orderly. The knights were wrestling, playing rock-paper-scissors with swords, axes and hammers, and food was flying everywhere. Thankfully Griff stayed out of the chaos by remaining with the king at the head table, where the queen and steward were also eating. Griff tried to eat his own food, but the king would swallow a goblet of wine every time he tried.

 _How has this man not died from alcohol poisoning?_ Griff wondered when the king downed his eleventh drink. The queen, however, was the definition of orderly; she ate her food quietly, cutting it into little squares before delicately chewing it, taking sips of water every once in a while.

After a while, she turned to him and said, "Griff, why don't you sit down and eat? I'm sure the king won't mind pouring his own wine for a little while."

"That's quite alright, ma'am, but I'm not—" The sound of his rumbling stomach silenced him. He smiled sheepishly and said, "A thousand thank yous, Your Grace." She nodded and turned back to her husband, who looked about to climb onto the table.

Griff sat down and dug into his meal; hot mutton, a circle of cheese, a steamed potaote and a small loaf of bread were what his plate consisted of. He dug in quickly, wanting to return to his duty as quickly as possible. He waved at Higgs when he saw her, and she smiled back quickly before rushing to serve another knight his flagon of mead.

 _You know,_ Griff thought, _this isn't too bad._

-o-

It wasn't until well past midnight that Griff was allowed to retire to his chamber, which, as it turned out, was a small broom closet that had been emptied save for a small mattress with a few blankets and a coatrack for his clothes. Sighing, he shrugged out of his doublet and draped it over one of the hooks for the Knight of the Wash to collect. Then he snuggled into his new bed and pulled the covers up to his chin.

He tossed and turned for what felt like hours before me managed to find the right sleep spot (on his stomach with the pillow nestled firmly in his arms) and drifted off to slumber, filled with one hopeful thought:

 _One day, I'll be a knight,_ he declared silently. _They'll call me Sir Cosmos the Butterfly Knight, and I'll be the greatest fighter this kingdom has ever seen._

* * *

A/N: Okay, people, that's another entry into the Dance with Destiny archive checked off! Also, I just want to point out that Prince Cosmos and Griff are two very different people. Cosmos is very talkative, sarcastic, and easygoing, while Griff is meek, respectful, and cautious. Because of this, I'll start each chapter with something like "My name is…" to establish who's POV is being followed.

Please leave a review so I know what you think of the story so far, and please favorite and follow so you'll be alerted to when I next update.

Bye!


	4. Chapter 4

**A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Four: Shopping**

"Quickly, Griff, quickly!"

The prince huffed and increased his pace. The king had insisted on visiting Quest Buy and had dragged Griff with him. Before he had left, Griff had cornered Higgs and asked what this "Quest Buy" was.

She laughed. "It's a department store, dummy. Sells things like swords, armor, and other stuff you might need."

"Oh."

She laughed again and patted him on the shoulder before giving him basic instructions on where to find everything before the king had found him and rushed him out the castle doors; which is how he found himself pushing a monstrously large cart full of monstrously large things around a monstrously large shopping plaza.

 _I swear,_ Griff thought as the cart nearly tipped over, _if this doesn't wrap up soon, someone's going to get it!_

"Have you ever seen a place as stocked full of treasures as this, Griff?" the king asked, swaggering with his chest puffed out.

"Can't say I have, Your Grace," Griff said. After a few more stops the king stopped in front of the "Armor and Weapons" aisle. Griff followed behind the kings as he walked down the long line of cuirasses, gauntlets, boots, swords, maces, morning stars, axes, war hammers, bows, and halberds.

The king put a hand to his chin. "Hmm…Why don't you stop pushing, Griff, I'm trying to decide which armor I should buy.

"Oh, thank gods," Griff muttered. He let go of the cart's handles and began to walk up and down the aisle. He lifted a rather large greatsword off of a shelf and held it with both hands. He managed to hold it for a few moments before his arms began to shake and he put the sword back quickly before he dropped it. Next he pulled out a flail and swung it a few times before the spiked ball at the end flew out of his grip, taking the rest of the weapon with it; it soared above a few more aisles and landed with a loud crashing sound and a cry of "Ow!"

Griff winced and walked down the aisle, trying to act as normal as he could. Next he picked up a longword and held it in his right hand. He twirled it about, running his fingers up and along the leather hilt.

"Well done!"

Griff jumped and dropped his sword, which clattered against the ground with a loud clanging. The king was behind him, hands on his hips, lips wide with a large smile.

Griff swallowed and picked up the sword sheepishly. "Thank you, Your Grace."

"You've been practicing."

Griff nodded. "Every chance I get. Higgs and the others have been helpful, and some of the knights help too. I've always dreamed of being a knight one day."

The king put a hand over his shoulder. "And you will," he said, leading Griff back to the cart. "One day, I promise."

 _Thank you, Father._ "You are too kind, Your Grace."

The king smiled kindly. "Come, Griff, I have everything I need."

"At once, Your Grace."

As they made their way to the registers, they passed through a book aisle, full of novellas, magazines, children's books, autobiographies, text books, and historical documents. One book, "History and Lore of Mewni," caught his eye.

Griff cleared his throat. "Your Grace?"

When the king turned, Griff pulled the book from the shelf. "Might I? I don't know very much about Mewni, and I thought…well…maybe I could…"

The king took the book and thumbed through it. For a long moment, he said nothing, but then the king shrugged and said, "Very well, throw it in with the others."

Griff smiled widely and tossed the book onto the large pyramid of things the king intended to buy, balancing precariously on top of a dragon groomer and a swiss army knife that included and axe, chainsaw, flamethrower, and a hairbrush. Griff hurried after the king.

-o-

That night, deep within his quarters in that tiny closet, Griff opened his book. Searching the table of contents, he found the section labelled "Pre-Butterfly Mewni" and searched for the page—fourteen, just after the author's note.

 _Ten thousand years ago,_ the first page read, _before the reign of the kings and queens of the Butterfly family, monsters ran amok on Mewni. They were a violent and cruel people, who feasted on the flesh of Mewman babes and used Mewman woman as they pleased._

Griff frowned. Even amongst the most savage monster villages, rape was a serious offense, and Mewman consumption was nothing but a midwife's tale used to scare little children; warnicorn, however, was a readily consumed meal, but not Mewman.

 _At the head of their hordes were the old ones; twisted and cruel things that turned and corrupted any living thing they came into contact with, whether that be Mewman, monster or beast. They rode into battle on massive spiders, using swords of metal so sharp they split metal and mail as though they were the thinnest silks._

 _They threatened to consume all life on Mewni, were it not for the strength and valor of the first king and queen, King Cosmos and Queen Star. They joined the forces of Mewni together and drove the old ones back, never to be seen again._

 _That's it?_ Griff wanted to scream. He flipped through the table of contents again, but every other chapter was about the reigns of the kings and queens after Cosmos and Star. Griff swallowed. _By what chance is it,_ he wondered, _that the first king and queen, who ruled at a time when the old ones came, that they should share the names of my sister and me, who will rule when the old ones are returning?_

 _I will have to speak with the king tomorrow,_ he thought, closing his book and rolling the blankets over himself. _I promised myself that I would bring help to my people, and I shall not fail._

* * *

A/N: In case you guys couldn't tell, this chapter was, like, ninety percent foreshadowing, so that's why there wasn't a whole lot of content. (And I didn't really know how to make a chapter about shopping interesting.) Also, I've decided to keep this story going (duh) because so many of you wanted it, so get excited!

Please review if you liked it, follow and favorite if you want to be alerted to when I update, and I will see you all next time!


	5. Chapter 5

**A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Five: Questions**

Griff ate his breakfast in silence. The Great Hall was mostly empty, save a few knights who had worked the night shift and several maids who were sweeping and dusting the tables and chairs. The king and queen had yet to make an appearance, but Griff told himself that he would ask them about the old ones when they arrived.

An arm wrapping around his neck brought him out of his thoughts. "Hey, buddy."

Oh. It was just Higgs and the others. "Hey guys."

Higgs retracted her arm and smiled. "What'cha thinkin' about?"

Griff took a deep breath out of his mouth. "I was reading a book yesterday—"

"I didn't know you could read."

"—and it mentioned something called the old ones."

Baby Man looked Griff's breakfast over cautiously. "Are you gonna eat that?" he asked, pointing.

Griff slid the plate over to him wordlessly.

"The old ones?" Higgs frowned. "Never heard of 'em." She looked at her companions. "Have you guys?"

Baby Man was too busy wolfing down sausages to answer, but Old Guy just said, "I'm old!"

Griff sighed. "Thanks, guys," he said, bracing his head with his hand. "Oh!"

The king and queen had arrived. A member of the kitchen staff hurried over with two platters of food, which the king dug into and the queen nibbled on. "I'll see you guys later, "Griff said, sliding out of the bench. He snatched a pitcher of juice out of a servant's hands and climbed the dais to the head table.

"Griff!" the king said when he saw him advancing. "Good to see you this morning."

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Griff said, pouring the juice into the king's goblet.

The queen held out her own chalice. "And some for me as well, please."

Griff nodded sharply. "Of course, Your Grace."

When the goblets were full and the royals dug into their food again, Griff took his place next to the king's chair.

"So…Griff…" the king said between bites, "…how's that book of yours? Good, I trust?"

"Book?" the queen asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "What book?"

"'History and Lore of Mewni,'" Griff said.

The queen inclined her head. "Ah, a fascinating read. Tell me, how far have you gotten?"

"Only the first few pages," he said. Griff shuffled from one foot to the other. "Actually, I was wondering if you could clear something up for me."

The queen looked up from her food. "Yes?"

Griff licked his lips. "What were the old ones?"

The queen didn't say anything for a moment, but then she smiled and said, "The old ones were an old race of monsters that died off years ago, Griff. There's no reason to worry about them."

 _They're not gone,_ he wanted to say. _They're returning; they're killing monsters and Skahl wherever they can find them._ The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge that they would laugh and mock him if he said it; they were royalty; they were used to their word being law, and anyone who questioned them was ignored or imprisoned. Dooria had told him all about that.

Griff swallowed nervously. "But say they were to return—hypothetically of course—would there be a way to stop them?"

"I don't see why this matters, Griff," the queen said.

"Because I want to know!" he said, a little too loudly. The squires stopped talking and looked at him in shock and surprise. The maids had frozen where they stood, looking at him with wide eyes. Queen Moon looked at him, affronted; and King River glanced between the two nervously, like he was about to witness a rather unfortunate sight.

Griff immediately dropped to one knee, dropping the flagon on the ground. "Apologies, Your Grace. I spoke out of turn."

"Hmm," was all Moon said. "Clean that mess up and get out of my sight."

Griff did so quickly, using a napkin that King River had slipped him. "Meet me outside the royal library," the king whispered as the napkin changed hands. When the mess was cleaned up and the napkin returned to the hamper from whence it came, Griff silently walked out of the Great Hall, though he could feel all eyes on him as he left.

-o-

The royal library was a thing to behold; nearly ten stories high, with endless lines and hallways full of books, scrolls, magazines and documents for all the castle to see. The librarian was a kind and quiet old woman names Mrs. Nineemuggins, who wore her white hair in a bun. She shuffled around the room, stocking old books and shushing anyone who dared to make too much (any) noise.

Griff waited there for an hour before the king arrived, blue cloak dragging on the ground after him.

"Thank you for waiting," he said when he joined Griff.

"You're welcome," the boy said, pushing himself off the pillar he had been leaning against with his foot. "Why are we here, if you don't mind me asking?"

The king waved his hand and gave a jolly laugh. "Well, I figured that after how worked up you got, you'd like to find out the answer to your questions."

Griff winced. "Again, I'm terribly sorry about what I said. Please tell Queen Moon—"

"—that you meant no disrespect, I know," the king said, putting his arm around Griff's back and leading him toward the back of the library. "But still, I would advise not speaking with the queen for some time now; she hasn't been in the best of moods lately."

"Any particular reason why?" the hidden prince asked.

King River gave a helpless shrugged. "She and the Magic High Commission have been investigating a 'fritz' that's affecting all magic in the kingdom."*

Griff swallowed. _Could the old ones be affecting magic as well?_ He shuddered at the thought. Magic was perhaps the best chance they had; if someone their enemy managed to cut off access to it…

He didn't want to even consider that possibility.

The king led him to a corner in a dusty section of the library, where cobwebs grew on the books and dust was everywhere.

The king looked around suspiciously. "Griff," he whispered softly, "can I trust you?"

"Of course you—"

"Sssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" the king hissed.

Griff swallowed. "Of course you can," he whispered, so soft that the king had to lean in to hear him.

"Wonderful!" the king bellowed. Before Griff could remind him to be quiet, the king reached over and pulled a book half way out of its spot on the shelf. There was a loud creaking sound, and one of the bookshelves slid back, revealing a stone staircase that led down, lit only by the light of torches on the walls.

Griff gasped. "Secret tunnel…" he whispered in awe.

The king took hold of one of the torches and beckoned for Griff to follow him. Griff couldn't help but smile wickedly. "What is this? Secret doomsday bunker? Hidden armory?" He gasped. "A high-tech dungeon where all the kingdom's worst criminals are kept?"

The king looked confused. "What? No! I'm taking you to the Butterfly royal family archives."

"Oh." Griff hoped he didn't voice his disappointment.

The king led him down a long windy maze of corridors. "This is in the restricted section," he explained. "Can't allow just anyone to come down here."

Griff nodded and followed along. Eventually they came to a wide circular room with a domed roof.

"Woah," Griff said.

The king laughed. "I know what you mean. I said the same thing when I first saw this place. Now, come with me."

He led Griff to a large mural tapestry with a large man with honey-blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes, wearing dark armor and a blue cloak around his shoulders. On his head was a golden crown with shimmering sapphires encrusted into it. He was holding a massive greatsword with both hands; the blade was dark as smoke, with glyphs running up and down its metal. The pommel was emblazoned with the symbol of a soaring butterfly, and the hilt was wrapped with dark leather.

Next to him was a beautiful woman with golden armor over white robes. She wore a circlet of silver with rubies inside it. In her hand was a wand whose end was a moon and star above a pear of butterfly wings. On her hip was a sword with a single large ruby in the center of its crossguard.

They were both attractive, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and both had shining stars on their cheeks.

"King Cosmos and Queen Star," King River explained, "the first monarchs of Mewni."

Griff swallowed. _My ancestors._

"Before them, Mewmans lived in fear of the monsters that ravaged Mewni. Then they came along to unite all people under one ruler. They were twins, you see, but they were also married."

Griff felt himself throw up in his mouth. Perhaps sensing this, King River gave him a sympathetic look. "Yes, I know, but it was a different time, and marriage between siblings wasn't uncommon. In fact, monsters still do it to this day."

 _No, they don't_ , Griff wanted to say. _We don't tolerate abominations like inbreeders._

"But what do the old ones have to do with any of this?"

"Well, it was said that the king and queen used their swords, Vengeance and Justice, to drive back the hordes of monsters that threatened them."

"That's it? Swords are all they used?"

"Well, the blades were made of Eberian steel, and the queen used her magic wand to repel any monsters that the old ones tried to use."**

"What's Eberian steel?" Griff asked.

"Magic metal that the Eberians used when making things like swords and knives. It's said that they engraved each blade with hidden magics to make them stronger, lighter and faster."

 _If I could get my hands on some Eberian steel blades…_ "Where can we get more?"

The king gave a loud bark of a laugh. " _Get more?_ Ha! The Eberians died out centuries ago, and the art of making Eberian steel died with them. Most of the blades have been lost in wars, raids or been sold to pay off debts. The Butterflys lost both their swords nearly two centuries ago, during the Wars of the Usurpers."

"What's the Wars of the Usurpers?"

"A series of petty wars started by a cadet branch of the Butterflys."

"Why would they start a war?"

The king scoffed. "Greed. It all started when one of the Butterfly kings—rare as they come—legitimized all his natural born children on his deathbed. The bloody fool. He had to know what would happen. One of them, Quasar, took the sword Vengeance and started the first War of the Usurper in a bid to seize the throne of Mewni. He failed, of course, but the sword was taken by his supporters, who disappeared like the rats they are! A decade later, a Butterfly prince used Justice against the Usurpers, but the blade was lost when he disappeared. Since then, only the wand has remained in the Butterfly's control, and we'll be damned if we lose that too!"

Griff gulped. "And the other Butterfly kings? You mentioned they were rare, but what about the ones that made it?"

The king scoffed. "Curses and blunders we'd sooner forget. Come on, I'll show you."

And so the king led Griff down the line. For every ten queens, there was only ever one king, and each was worse than the last. There was King Comet, who tried to invade the Underworld, only for his men to all die on route. Or King Cosmos II, called "the Mad" because he insisted that everyone around his was trying to kill or usurp him; he was eventually displaced by his sister and hung himself from the tower of Castle Butterfly. King Galaxa was Griff's least favorite; he was a fat fool who nearly drove the realm into debt, cheated on his wife, fathered dozens of illegitimate children, and then legitimized those children when he died, starting the War of the Usurper. On and on it went, until the last king, King Sol, was killed by a member of his own Kingsguard after he tried to destroy half his kingdom with the wand of his family.

 _Madness,_ Griff thought when the royal tour was done. _That was their folly._ A flicker of doubt touched him. _But if they could be driven mad, what's to say I can't? What if I end up like them? What if I fail?_ He shook his head. _No. I'll not allow that to happen. I'll take my own life first._ Then something else clicked within him. _But if the old ones return, I won't have to take my life; they'll take it for me._

The bookshelf slid back into place, and the king and prince left the library. "Thank you, Your Grace, this was most helpful."

The king gave a boisterous laugh. "Don't mention it, son."

As the king walked away, Griff thought, _All I have to do is find some Eberian steel blades, reclaim the wand, and bring the fight to the old ones. But where to find some Eberian steel…_

-o-

" _Have you heard?"_ Higgs asked frantically when she caught up with him. Baby Man and Old Guy were there, too, gasping for air.

"What?" Griff asked, lost.

"There's gonna be a tourney! A _squire's tourney_! Only squire's can compete, and we're gonna enter. How about you?"

Griff arched an eyebrow. "Why would I care about a squire's tourney?"

" _Because,_ dummy, the champion receives a hundred pounds of gold, a year's supply of free corn, and a knighthood!"

That caught Griff's attention. "Like, instant knighthood?"

"Knighted on the spot," Higgs explained.

Griff smiled widely. "I'm in."

* * *

* This chapter takes place before _The Battle for Mewni,_ so Toffee is still around, messing with all the magic and junk. That wont really play into this story, but if anyone is interested I can do _TBfM_ from Griff's POV.

** The Eberians were a sort of elven race that lived in a sperate kingdom from Mewni and were excellent at crafting tools and weapons. They all died out due to a plague that's basically Mewni's version of the Black Death that crippled Europe in the twelfth century. They're also something that I made up for this story, so don't be surprised if you don't remember them being mentioned on the show.

A/N: Okay, everyone, if you enjoyed then please leave a review telling me what you thought; also follow and favorite if you want to be alerted to when I update, and leave any questions in a review or shoot me a PM and I'll do my best to explain everything I can.


	6. Chapter 6

**A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Six: The Hunt**

The king's procession left early, just before dawn. There was the king himself, Griff, the Captain-General of the Kingsguard, Sir Mandon Gergenson, and a few other household knights. They were on foot and carrying several pounds of equipment. The guards were carrying the weapons and travel equipment, Sir Mandon was holding the Mewni flag, and Griff was carrying several water skins and the food in a sac slung over his shoulder. The king was dressed in nothing but a white loincloth and his crown. He carried a large barbed spear in one hand. The day had started off so simple…

"Griff, wake up!" the king demanded, kicking open Griff's door.

Griff (regrettably) screamed like a girl and threw the covers over himself. "Your Grace, what is the meaning of this?" he demanded in a shrill voice.

"We're going monster hunting!" the king explained, pointing a finger dramatically at Griff's wall, his other hand on his hip.

"Bu-but I—"

"Excellent! I'll meet you outside in ten minutes. Tally-ho!" The king then left, hopping and bouncing off the walls with the grace and gusto of a man twenty years his junior.

So that was how Griff managed to find himself sloughing through the mud and grass of the Mewni forests at six-thirty in the morning, dressed in little more than a jerkin and some old boots.

Before they left, Higgs found him outside.

"Hey," she said quickly, "don't forget to ask the king to enroll you in the squire's tourney."

"I will, jeez," he said, raising his hands.

"Good," she said, walking off.

The forests of Mewni were beautiful, Griff couldn't argue that. The sound of birds chirping and squirrels running along the branches gave him a sort of nostalgic aching. He was reminded of his mother and how she used to make blood portage every two weeks; how his father used to put him on his shoulders so he could touch the tips of branches; how he used to run and play with his sisters, even though they were all older and faster than he was.

The king breathed in heavily. "Don't you just love the smell of fresh air in the morning?"

"I will admit," Griff confessed, "that it does give me some pleasure, Your Grace."

"Ha!" the king barked. "And you, Sir Mandon? How do you fare?"

"Well enough, Your Grace," the old knight said. He was old, Sir Mandon, with long white hair and a thin-cut beard. He wore the elaborate white armor of the Kingsguard, with a long sword on his back.

The other knights, Sir Royce, Dame Celestian, and Sir Patrick, were less thrilled. Sir Royce was young, with black hair and a handsome face, though Higgs said he had more in common with Baby Man than anybody else.

"Dumb as a stump," she would say. "Sir Lump is dumb as a stump."

Griff would laugh too, and so would Old Guy and Baby Man, and then they would mock the other knights. Griff missed them. They had already been traveling for several hours and the sun was beginning to set. Soon they would have nowhere to go but where they stood and make camp. _I should have been training today,_ Griff thought. _I swore I'd win my knighthood, and I won't fail._

"Your Grace," Griff said, walking faster to keep pace with the king's fast paces.

"Yes?" the king asked.

"I, um—well, uh—I was just wondering…"

"Wondering what?" the king said. "Out with it."

"Well, its just that there's a squire's tourney coming up, and I was hoping that you'd—"

"—enter you in the lists?"

Griff gave a sheepish nod. The king seemed to think it over for several minutes.

"Very well," he said at last. "I'll enter your name as soon as we get back."

"Really? Oh, thank you, Sire!"

The king laughed. "Don't mention it, son. I was young once too, and just as eager to gain my knighthood. I'm sure you'll do fine as a knight."

Sir Royce snickered. Griff shot him a glare.

"The sun is setting, Your Grace," Sir Mandon said. "Mayhaps we should make camp and try again tomorrow."

"Yes, yes," the king said. "I'm sure tomorrow we'll have better luck."

They didn't. For another day and a half they marched through the woods, but no monsters were about. Some warnicorns, yes, and maybe even a bear or two, but no monsters. By midday, most of the food was gone, and the knights were getting tired.

"Your Grace," Griff said, "perhaps we should turn back. If we continue any longer we'll likely run out of food and starve."

"Hear, hear!" Sir Royce said.

The king frowned and said, "No, we're not turning around until I have a carcass to put on my wall." His face softened. "Though, perhaps we should stop and get more food. Follow me, I know place that's perfect!"

-o-

That "perfect place" turned out to be the rutty old hut of a Skahl, one of the Mewmans who preferred to live out in the wilds. Griff had encountered a few before, and most tended to be friendly folk who just wanted to be left alone or trade decent things for other decent things.

Not this one.

This one was called Norester, a great bear of a man with long white hair, a scraggy beard and a cloak made of white bear hide. His home was small, with a brazier in the middle, a bedroom for him, and some stables for goats outside. There were also numerous women walking around, all with similar features to Norester. _They must be his daughters._

Sir Royce looked around appreciably. "All these women and only one man? You don't recon he'd mind if I borrowed one, do you?"

The king shook his head. "Nobody touches Norester's daughters but Norester, you hear me?"

Sir Royce huffed but said, "Fine."

"Norester!" the king said when they entered, arms open wide.

Norester huffed. "River."

There was an awkward silence that was broken when River said, "Is it alright if we stay the evening? My party and I are running low on food."

The Skahl waved his hand. "Very well." The old man sat on a chair made from animal hides.

King River smiled and announced everyone. When he got to Griff, the old Skahl smirked and said, "You're prettier most'a my wives."

"Wives?" Griff said before he could stop himself. "Forgive me but, I thought they were your daughters."

The old man smiled, showing off his rotting teeth. "Same thing."

Suddenly Griff felt like vomiting. "You marry your own daughters?"

"Aye, you got a problem, boy?"

 _Be grateful I don't cut out your black heart now, crow._ "No, though I am concerned how you've survived this long; surely there've been raids. Men and monsters are always hungry for food and women."

One of the wives was larger than the rest, with a swollen belly and large ankles. _She must be pregnant,_ Griff thought. _About to give birth to another abomination._ Even among monsters, incest was a heavy crime.

Norester barked out a laugh. "The monsters know to stay away. The gods protect me."

 _Any gods that condone abominations are no gods I ever want to know._

The king cleared his throat. "Would you mind if we retreated for the night? My men and I are tired."

"Might as well stay for supper," Norester said. "My girl Nelly makes a mean turtle stew."

That night, as the party was changing for bed, Sir Royce scoffed. "Bloody monster, making children with his children."

Griff nodded. "I'm surprised our king allows it." If it had been him, he would've cut the old crow's neck and been done with it.

"Even if he does, it doesn't make it right."

When Sir Royce blew out the candle to their shared room, Griff had a sudden dark thought. "What about the boys."

"What?" came Sir Royce's voice.

"Did you notice any boys around, like, at all?"

"…No."

"Exactly. So if Norester marries his daughters, what does he do with his sons?"

-o-

They set out again the next morning, just before dawn. _Good,_ Griff thought. _I'd rather take my chances with the cold than bother with that pig any day._

The king was in good spirits, however. "Quickly now!" he declared, running ahead of the rest of the gaggle. "I can smell the monsters; they're close!"

 _Hopefully they're close enough to hear us coming_ , Griff thought, though he did stomp a little louder, just in case.

Sir Mandon grunted. "Your Grace, perhaps we should turn back. There isn't enough food to last much longer."

"Nonsense, Sir Mandon," the king scoffed. "There's a village that's just infested with monsters just over this next ridge."

Griff gulped. _Please don't tell me the king intends to…_ "Your Grace, perhaps Sir Mandon is correct; it would be more prudent to turn back now."

One of the knights scoffed. "What, you chicken or somethin'?"

Another knight hit him on the shoulder. "Back off, Royce, leave the king's squire alone."

Sir Royce grumbled and massaged his sore spot. "Yeah, whatever," he grumbled.

"And here we are!" the king shouted triumphantly. When Griff joined him on the ridge, he saw a cozy little village built of straw and sticks and mud. A small lake that flooded from a waterfall was nestled into the earth near the village. Fields were growing, with an assortment of vegetables—tomatoes, cabbage, apples, and grapes.

"What's this?" the king demanded. "Where are all the monsters?"

Griff was puzzled too. There weren't any traces of… _anyone_. Even if all the men were hunting, the women should still be drying clothes, cooking, or watching over the little ones. And speaking of little ones, children should be chasing each other around the huts or playing in the water. Instead, there was nothing.

"What could've…"

"Sire, look," one of the knights said, pointing. Approaching the village was a horde of monsters; women, men, children, young, old, all marching silently. That wasn't right. Monsters were loud and boisterous, with shouting and screaming being considered part of a monster's "inside voice." A dark cloud seemed to be following the group, keeping just ahead of the front row of monsters, and Griff noticed that every monster's eye was milky white.

"What is _that_?" the king asked, pointing.

Griff looked. At the head of the horde was a horse with a hide as black as tar and crimson eyes. Its rider was similarly colored, though it had long dark hair and wore charcoal armor with crimson swirls swimming across its plate. In its hand was a long slender blade as dark as night.

A cold hand closed around Griff's heart.

"We have to go," he said, voice coming in a whimper.

"What?" the king asked. "But we can't just—"

The thing at the head of the horde looked up and saw them, its red eyes drinking in their images. It raised its sword and gave out a loud screech, like the cawing of a thousand crows speaking at once.

The horde began to advance.

"Run!" Griff shouted. " _RUN!"_ He grabbed the king by the beard and began to pull him along, running as fast as he could. Only later would he realize that he hadn't spoken with the voice of Griff of Squalor's Hook, but of Cosmos Butterfly of Mewni.

"The Kingsguard does not flee," Sir Mandon said, drawing his sword.

 _You bloody fool!_ Griff wanted to scream, but he held his tongue. Let the old man die with a sword in his hand, holding off the enemy. The rest of the knights weren't so brave; they turned tail and ran after their king.

As they ran, the dark cloud seemed to overtake them, and Griff's skin turned as cold as ice. Out of the shadow of a tree, a figure stepped out. It looked just like the other one—skin black, hair long, red eyes, and dark armor. It drew a sword from a sheath on its back, long and terrible.

Sir Royce gave a loud shout and charged, but the beast was ready. It blocked the first strike, and the second, then when the swords collided on the third, Royce's blade shattered into a million tiny fragments, and the knight screamed, covering his bloody face in his hands. The thing's sword shot out, cutting through mail and flesh like they were nothing but silk. The brave fool died as he lived—without a head. His bowels released and he fell to the ground in a heap of blood and armor.

"Wha—" the king got out before Griff grabbed him again and began to pull. It seemed that not even the King of Mewni could understand what was happening. That was okay.

The prince did.

The other knights fell in on both sides of them, but their heavy armor and gear slowed them down. They began to lag, first a foot, then two, then three, until all Griff heard was the sound of pained shrieks and metal scrapping on metal.

"What's going on?" the king demanded.

" _Shut up and run!"_ Griff shrieked.

To the right and left, Griff could see the horde of monsters closing in, hoping to box them in and kill them. They shrieked and cawed, awful noises that made Griff's blood go cold and his trousers to suddenly get wet.

Suddenly…

Norester's cabin came into view, with its rusted fence and old wooden walls. A few goats were milling about, but when they saw Griff and the king they gave frightened bleats and defecated before going to cower in their stables.

"Get inside!" Griff pushed the king through the rusted gate and up toward the cabin. He threw open the door, shoved the king inside, and took one last glance at the horde before shoving the door closed and pressing the bar over it.

 _There's no escape._ He felt like sobbing and felt—for the first time—a dampness in his pants. Tears began to flow down his cheeks. _We're all going to die._

Norester came shambling in, laughing. "You've no fear here, boy. The gods won't hurt you under my roof." Griff noticed his cloak was larger than before, and he stomach seemed a bit larger, and one of his arms was hidden within the folds.

"Gods? There are no gods here, you bloody bastard!"

Norester's smile faded. "You watch yourself, boy. Under my roof you'll speak with respect, or I'll cut your tongue out." A few of his wives were huddled in the corner, cooing to another of their kind. "I'll deal with the gods, boy."

"You—"

Before he could finish, Norester lifted the bar, opened the door, and stepped out into the darkness. The door remained open a crack; Griff looked out, though only his left eye could see.

Norester was walking toward the horde, inexorable. One of the demons strode forward, the horde parted before it. Norester reached within his white fur cloak and pulled something soft and pink—a baby. Suddenly Griff remembered the wife who had been in the corner.

 _Monsters know to stay away. The gods protect me._

 _What happens to his sons?_

 _You've no fear, boy. The gods won't hurt you under my roof._

A lump formed in Griff's throat, and he felt a rock in his stomach. _He sacrifices to the old ones,_ he realized with cold horror. Outside, the demon took the babe, which began to squeal and scream, and marched back into the darkness. The horde followed after it, leaving the shack in peace.

"What…What were those things?" River asked, face beaded with sweat.

Griff swallowed and pressed his back against the shack's wall. "The old ones," he said with the voice of Cosmos Butterfly. The king didn't notice, too shocked to say anything.

"They killed my knights."

"They would've killed us too," Griff said.

"You…You knew they were returning. How?"

Griff looked up, and for a moment he was tempted to tell the king everything; but given the king's position and demeanor, that would only make things worse.

"I used to live out here," he explained slowly. "We heard reports of things returning. Dead things. Ancient things. We didn't believe it until we saw them. My mother and I were hunting one day when we saw them; they were much farther north that here; they don't normally come this close to the kingdom."

Norester entered, his mouth wide. "See, I told you. You two can sleep down here tonight; I want you gone by sunrise tomorrow."

Griff didn't have the strength to argue.

-o-

They arrived back at Butterfly Castle three days later, their eyes droopy and legs stiff; they hadn't stopped marching once, not even to sleep. They couldn't risk it. Whenever Griff closed his eyes, he saw Sir Royce's bodiless head rolling on the ground. _You_ couldn't _stop them,_ he seemed to say.

The gates opened with a loud creaking, and the king and prince walked through. Knights rushed forward to help, but stopped when they noticed that only the king and his cupbearer had returned, and without any equipment.

"Sire," one of the knights said, "are you alright? Where are the others?"

"Griff," Higgs said, pushing through the crowd, "is everything alright?"

Griff shook his head, and the king dismissed them with a wave of his hand. The knights and squires went off silently, though some did sneak a few glances at the ragged king.

The king led him to the royal bedchamber and closed the door behind them. He sat down on the ground, and Griff slid down against a wall. The queen was nowhere in sight. _Gone off to attend to her royal duties._

"That was…" the king began. but didn't seem to be able to finish.

"…awful," Griff finished.

The king nodded. "They aren't stories." His voice was soft, like a kitten's. "They're real."

Griff nodded. "We have to tell the queen."

"No!" the king exclaimed.

"What? Why not?"

"Because she'll never believe it! And she has enough to deal with already; between running a kingdom, dealing with the fritz, making sure our daughter is keeping up to date on her training—"

" _Are you serious?"_ Griff asked, jumping to his feet. "You just saw an army of monsters kill half a dozen knights like it was nothing, that Skahl bastard sacrifice a baby to them, and you want to do _nothing_? Are you mad?"

The king looked like he was going to argue, but like a kicked dog, put his head down and said nothing.

"You have to do something," Griff said gently. "If the old ones truly come back…there's nothing anyone will be able to do to stop them. Monsters, Mewmans, Pony Heads, Pigeons, they'll all be killed."

The king nodded. "I'll get the librarians to start doing some research. I'll go on less hunting trips. I'll…try to be better. But the queen can't know. You have to promise." For a moment, the king wasn't a king, but a scared little man who didn't know what to do.

"I'll keep silent," he said, putting a hand on the king's shoulder, "until there's no other choice. I swear it. For you."

The king gave a weary smile. "Thank you, Griff. Sometimes…sometimes I wish I had a son like you."

* * *

A/N: Okay everyone, please leave a review because they help keep me motivated to continue this story. If you want to be alerted to when I update, then please follow and favorite. Okay then, I'll see you all next time.

Bye!


	7. Chapter 7

Notice: For anyone worried about why this wasn't showing, don't worry, I fixed it (hopefully). I accidentaly left out a few lines that are going to be really important later, so I just needed to edit this and then re-upload. Sorry for the confusion.

* * *

 **A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Seven: Swords and Words**

Following the attack by the old ones nearly two months ago, Griff spent the majority of his time training. Whether it be jousting, sword fighting, hand-to-hand combat, archery, or spear fighting, Griff did it with gusto. _The old ones are advancing,_ he would tell himself every time his bones ached and his arms threatened to give out. _I can't afford to look weak. Mewni needs a strong king if it is to survive._

Speaking of kings, King River had been especially quiet and subdued since that night. The official story had been that there was a surprise monster attack and that the knights had given their lives to protect the king, which gave them some honor in death. Sir Steffon Harding was raised to Captain-General of the Kingsguard, and Sir Mandon's spot remained empty.

Every night, Griff would keep a lantern in his chambers and read up on the Mewman kings and queens, studying his forbearers, so that he would not make their mistakes. He was up to King Galaxa, the greedy old lecher.

The passage went as follows:

 _Butterfly Ruler #42:_

 _King Galaxa Butterfly_

 _King Galaxa was born in six-hundred-three ABC* to Queen Solenia and King Nalbert. He ascended to the throne in six-hundred-thirty-one ABC, after the deaths of his mother and father in a pox. He was quickly wed to Princess Moria Morgandy of Abertrand, and together they had one daughter, the Princess Selene Butterfly, in six-hundred-thirty-three ABC._

 _King Galaxa began his reign as a strong and willful young man, but that quickly gave way to corruption and misrule. Because Queen Moria was a frail woman who nearly died in childbirth, King Galaxa sought the attention of other women. By six-hundred-thirty-four ABC, Galaxa had already sired a natural born son with his cousin, Bethany Butterfly. They named their son Sol, who would later take on the name Dragonfly on his eighteenth birthday._

 _King Galaxa was a heavy partaker in tourneys, balls, feasts, and festivals. The greatest festival in recorded history, the Festival of the Rising Son, was believed to be hosted for his son Sol's coming of age. Indeed, it was there that King Galaxa gifted his bastard son with the sword Vengeance, which had been used by the first Butterfly king, King Cosmos._

 _It was Galaxa's great love of festivals and parties that caused the realm great strife. The king was frivolous in his spending, and nearly drove the realm into debt by the time of his death. The king would often borrow from another kingdom, only to refuse to pay his wages back at another time. It is believed by many that the other kingdoms were prepared to wage war on Mewni, had the king not died when he did._

 _In six-hundred-eighty-nine, the king had grown so fat and bloated that he could not be moved from his bedchambers. Flesh worms and maggots infested his rotting skin, and the medical experts claimed it was the worst case of gout that had ever been seen. The king died half a year later of diabetes, but not before he made the grandest mistake of his reign: he legitimized all his bastard children._

 _After the king's death, Princess Selene took the throne, and began the long and arduous task of restoring Mewni to its former glory. (See page three-hundred-fifty-two for the reign of Queen Selene.)_

 _Great Bastards of King Galaxa:_

 _Sol Dragonfly_

 _Quasar Moonbeam_

 _Noris Fealbottom_

 _Arion (Baseborn.)_

 _Morganna (Baseborn.)_

 _Eurogog Leminhook_

 _Sherra Segrove_

 _Brelen Blackfyshe_

 _Hellena (Baseborn.)_

 _(For more information on Sol Dragonfly and the War of the Usurper, turn to page nine-hundred-and-two.)_

Griff scowled and turned the pages. Under the light of his lantern, he could barely see, but he pressed on; he could not afford to be the same kind of ruler as his ancestors. _Foolish pig. He had to have known what damage he would do when he signed that document._

He turned to page nine-hundred-and-two.

 _Claimants and Pretenders_

 _The War of the Usurper_

 _After the death of King Galaxa in six-hundred-eighty-nine, Mewni faced a perilous question—who would inherit the throne of Mewni? While many flocked to Princess Selene, King Galaxa's rightful heir, other looked to the king's son, Sol Butterfly, citing his great battle prowess and the fact that the king passed the sword Vengeance to him, skipping Selene._

 _In six-hundred-ninety-four, the first War of the Usurper—also called the Dragonfly Uprising—broke out when Sol announced his claim on the throne of Mewni. Half the realm flocked to Sol, while the other half supported Princess Selene._

 _The war lasted only a year, with the decisive battle of the Bloody Ford deciding the victor. Sol led his men into battle bravely, but was struck down by his brother-in-law, Sir Robert Santigar, followed by his sons, Quasar and Meteoro. The rebels scattered, and the loyalists were found victorious._

 _After the battle, the Dragonfly usurpers fled Mewni, hiding out in separate kingdoms, far from the reach of the Butterfly monarchs. It was during another of these rebellions that the famed sword Justice would be lost as well, when Prince Mimas Butterfly disappeared at sea in seven-hundred-fifteen._

 _For several more decades the Dragonflys would pester and plague the Butterflys, until the Captain-General of Queen Moon's Kingsguard, Sir Mandon Gergenson, slew Luna Dragonfly in the sixth Dragonfly Uprising in seven-hundred-fifty-seven. Luna's children, Mercury, Quasar, and Castillo, fled Mewni with their tails tucked between their legs._

Griff closed the book and turned out the light. _The Dragonflys are still out there,_ he thought as he closed his eyes. _Defeated for now, but how much longer until they mount another attack?_

-o-

The next morning after breakfast, he joined the king in the training yard. King River wore little more than furs over boiled leather and was equipped with a single-bladed war axe. By comparison, Griff was sporting smoke-grey plate with gauntlets, grieves, a codpiece and gorget, and a steel helm that was heavy and irksome, but served him well enough.

"Your Grace," he said, blocking a strike from the king with his oak shield emblazoned with the star of the Butterfly family, "if I may ask, why are we using live steel? Normally we train with wooden weapons."

Griff swung out with his longsword. The king blocked it with the wooden handle of his axe. "Because," he said, thrusting at Griff with the butt of his handle; Griff ducked under it, "in the tournament, you won't be using wooden swords or axes or maces; you'll need to learn to handle the feel of steel in your hands."

Back and forth they went, on and on for what seemed like hours. Every once in a while, a household knight would come by or a stable boy would rush past, and once Griff even saw a flash of Higgs's orange hair, but then it was gone, and Griff's attention was back on the king.

"Your Grace," Griff said when they stopped to rest for a quick meal; they ate bread and cheese and a piece of mutton. Griff had discarded his armor and pulled off his tunic; he was only dressed now in a black pair of breeches. His chest and back had little white lines that used to be scars. One he had gotten from wresting a Griffon; another was the result of a nasty fall down a thorny hill. He poured the rest of his water satchel over his chest, letting the cool liquid sooth his sweaty body; if he had poured it over his head, it likely would have washed the dye out of his hair.

"Yes?" the king asked, between bites of cheese topped on mutton.

"May I ask you something?"

"You just did."

Griff cracked a smile. "Another question, I mean."

The king shrugged. "Go ahead."

"A few days ago…you said that you wished you had a son like me." He looked up at the king. "Was it true?"

The king sighed and put his food down. He stared off for a while, sadly. After a moment or two, he said, "It was."

"Why?"

The king sighed again. "Please don't misunderstand me, Griff, I love my daughter to death but…she isn't like me. Sure, she is wild and energetic, but she's a deal more mature than me, but also slightly more reckless. You, on the other hand, are loyal and brave and chivalrous. Your true father, wherever he might be, should be proud to have a son like you." He let out a deep sigh. "I had a son once, you know. My wife was pregnant with twins, and my eldest, my son, was stillborn. They buried him before they let me see him. We lost one of the midwives, Dooria, to the forest and monsters, and I never got to see my son. I hope he looked like me."

The prince thinned his lips. _I do,_ he hought helplessly. He wanted to reach out and touch the man's hand, but that would not be proper; he was Griff, the king's squire, not Cosmos, the heir of Mewni. Then something else came to his mind. _He doesn't know. He doesn't know what Mother did._ That brought a strange sense of relief to him; he enjoyed the king's company, and had been uncertain if the king had known what had happened to him. Now he knew. His thoughts traveled to the man who had raised him from a babe and carried him on his shoulders when they were traveling. He missed him, and his monster mother, and all five of his sisters, and Dooria.

 _I'll come home soon,_ he promised, _if I live that long._

"Have the librarians made any progress?" he asked after a long silence.

The king nodded. "Hardly. Only thing they've found so far are a few children's stories and one mythology book. With what little they have, its almost like they're just stories."

"But they're not," Griff said, determinately.

"No, they're not," the king agreed.

"Have you entered my name in the list?" he asked.

"I did. I couldn't guarantee your place or your opponent, but you will be a runner."

Griff gave a small smile. "Thank you, Your Grace."

He spent the rest of the day with the king, fighting against one another. By the time he laid back in his bed he was sore and aching, his hands and legs shaking. In the last few weeks, he had grown a bit of muscle, and his ability with the sword and shield were greater than most of the other squires. Still, there was always another, greater fighter, as his father used to say.

"I'll not lose," he said to himself in the darkness of his chambers. "That knighthood will be mine."

* * *

* ABC stands for After Butterfly Colonization, and is basically how the Mewmans remember the year, much like how we use BC or BCE to distinguish the year.

A/N: Okay everyone, what'd you think? If you liked it, please leave a review telling me what you thought. Follow and favorite to be alerted to when I upload. Next chapter, Griff entours the tournament. Stay tuned.

Also, a lot of you pointed out that there are a lot of similarities between this and Game of Thrones, and to that I say…you are absolutely right! I am a _huge_ fan of George R.R. Martin's a Song of Ice and Fire story and take a lot of influence from that story. Now, that doesn't mean I'm going to copy and paste that story into a Star vs the Forces of Evil setting, just that I'm taking influence from that story, as well as a few other fantasy stories like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, so don't be worried about that.

Bye!


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hey everyone! Before I begin, I just want to inform you all know that I'm on the Star Vs the Forces of Evil Amino, so if any of you have that feel free to follow me. My username is Jon-Ur and I'll be uploading artwork to the site once I'm a high enough level.

Okay, let's go.

 **A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Eight: Tourney**

The tourney was held outside Flaagon Castle, located a few miles north of the Butterfly Kingdom. The castle was nowhere near as large as the one owned by the Butterflys, but it was still impressive; the towers were several stories high, with the banners of the Flaagons—a white drinking pitcher on a grape-purple field—flapped proudly in the wind. Outside the great castle, over two hundred tents were being prepared.

The king and queen led the royal procession toward their places in the camp. Everyone bowed when they walked past, and Griff puffed out his chest. _You're not the prince,_ he reminded himself as he passed a maid who blushed cherry when he winked at her. _You're a whore's son, nothing more._

A few acres away, a large open field was being prepared. Wooden bleachers and benches lined the outside, forming a circular enclosure. The contestants would fight in single elimination rounds, and whoever was left at the end of the day would be declared the winner and receive his knighthood.

They passed a burley man cooking sausages over an open fire, and Griff thought his belly might burst. He had left the castle that morning having only eaten a piece of cooked and buttered bread, and now he was paying for it. Behind him, Higgs let out a tiny groan; she was carrying all her equipment, as well as her knight's, and was looking ragged. Behind her, Baby Man and Old Guy weren't looking much better, and Griff wished he could help them. One of the Kingsguard was carrying his stuff, so Griff could walk with his arms swinging.

Their pavilion was located near the gates of the castle, with plenty of room for everyone to fit. Griff began to help unpack, but the king held a hand up. "What do you think you're doing?"

Griff looked at him, perplexed. "Um, unpacking?"

River waved a hand. "Bah, none of that! This is your event, Griff, let me—oh, my word, Count Crocula, is that you? Get over here you rangly old mister!" He left with a hardy laugh to greet someone else.

The queen let out a tired sigh and rolled her eyes. "You and your friends can go, Griff," she said to the squires, "we'll find someone else to unpack."

Griff looked with an excited grin to his friends, who all matched his expression (except for Old Guy, who looked like he had fallen asleep standing up). "Come on, guys!" he said.

It would still be several more hours until the first matches were announced, so the group decided to spend some time exploring the grounds. Griff got a sausage, Baby Man got three, and Old Guy lost his teeth (which they eventually found in the pocket of a traveling gypsy. How they got in there Griff didn't know, nor did he care to ask).

At nearly midday, Higgs said something strange: "Does any of this seem…weird to you?" she whispered.

"What do you mean?" Griff whispered back. Everything seemed fine to him—there were jugglers, mummers, a dancing bear, wenches parading around for extra gold, and hardy knights training their squires for the tournament.

"I mean most of these people were Dragonfly supporters!" she hissed.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

She leaned in close and whispered, "Most of the major houses here supported Luna Dragonfly in the last War of the Usurper."

Griff leaned back. "Are you serious?"

She nodded. "Sir Stabby told me all about it. When Luna was killed everyone who supported her had to give up a hostage to ensure their loyalty."

"The Dragonflys are dead, Higgs," Griff said, though he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her or himself, "its probably just a coincidence."

She pressed her lips together and said, "Hmm."

The sound of a harp playing softly caught their attention, and they found a young man with dark hair and green eyes seated in front of a small tent, a green hummingbird on a black field flapping above him.

He smiled when he saw them, and Griff saw his teeth were pearly-white. "Good morrow, friends. Care to spare a coin for a hopeful musician?"

Griff tossed him a copper penny. "Sorry, but that's all I got."

The man shrugged. "Tis nothing, friend. Every little bit helps, I always say. Will you four be participating?"

"Darn right!" Higgs said enthusiastically. "You're looking at the future winner of this thing."

The singer laughed. "I had no idea you were a joker; perhaps you'd be a better fool than a knight."

Griff snickered. Higgs punched him in the arm. "Will you?" he asked, rubbing the sore spot.

"Indeed I will. My name is Jon, though most call me the hummingbird."

Higgs snickered. "The hummingbird? Seriously?"

"Why yes," said the singer. "They call me that because I'm thin and nimble as a bird, and my songs are so sweet most of the maids tear up." He gave a flirtatious smirk and wiggled his eyebrows. "I can demonstrate, if you like?"

"Higgs crossed her arms. "Sod off."

Jon let out a sigh and shrugged. "Very well, then." He reached behind him and pulled a water skin out and drank. His lips came back blue like the ocean.

"What are you drinking?" Griff asked.

"Hmm? Oh, this? My friends call it the wine of wisdom, though I prefer to call it dreamer's draught."

"And why is that?"

"Because it gives me strange dreams, of course. I can see the future."

Higgs sneered. "Yeah, right."

"Don't believe me? I've seen you, girl. You won't win this competition; in fact, I know you'll lose during the second round!" He looked at Griff. "I've seen you, too. You're standing in a great stone temple with monsters all around you. They lift you up and put a crown on your head."

Griff cocked an eyebrow. "A crown? You must be feverish."

"Truly?" He offered the boy a sip. "Drink, then, and see what is to be."

Griff took the skin and took a little sip. The liquid was thick and viscous, and it tasted sweet and sour and salty all at once.

"Tonight," the singer said, "when you dream, you'll see what I see."

Before Griff could respond a loud trumpet went up from the castle. Higgs gasped and grabbed Griff's arm. "It's starting! Come on."

-o-

He would be fighting someone named Timmy in the first round. After that he'd either fight Jon or someone named Antony, depending on who on their fight. After that he'd fight a few more squires until he made it to the final round. _And after that, knighthood._

The first few matches went by quickly. Higgs managed to beat her opponent by hitting him in the face with his own shield; Baby Man knocked his opponent out with one hit; and Old Guy broke a hip getting his armor on, so he was forced to forfeit.

Jon the Hummingbird fought after that, and he seemed untouchable on the field. His opponent—a dark skinned woman from the Pigeon Kingdom—would either swing too high or too low, and the hummingbird would always manage to get a few hits in before he had to duck away. One time his opponent got a good hit on his helmet, but instead of being hurt it looked as though she had barely tapped it. _Something isn't right here,_ Griff thought, but then Jon hit her with his shield and she made a big show of being injured and had to be carried off the field, much to the crowd's delight.

After that, Griff's name was called.

"Remember, don't give away what you're going to do," the king said he helped Griff put his armor on.

"Yes, Your Grace."

He handed Griff his right gauntlet. "And be sure to keep your feet close together; if your feet are too far apart, you have less stability."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Oh, and be sure to hit him nice and hard!"

"Yes, Your Grace." He slid on his sword belt and picked up his shield.

"Yes, but—"

"River," the queen said calmly, "let Griff focus. I'm sure he knows what he's doing."

The king cleared his throat. "Oh, uh, yes, of course."

The queen smiled at him. "Good luck, Griff," she said sweetly. In the weeks prior, the queen had warmed to him remarkably. He guessed it was because he'd tried doubly hard to be good, but a small part of him wondered if it was just because he'd be out of her hair when he was a knight.

He smiled back at her and donned his helm. Outside, he could hear the crowd cheering. He took a deep breath and exited his tent. His opponent was across the yard from him, sword in hand already.

"Well met," he called.

"Same to you," Griff said back.

"I am Timmy of Grenendale."

"I am—"

"—Griff of Mewni, yes I know."

"Soon to be _Sir_ Griff," he said with a cocky smile.

Timmy laughed. "Then let us see if you are worthy of the title." He swung across his chest. Griff caught it with his sword and shoved back with his shoulder, forcing Timmy to stagger. Griff aimed a jab at his chest, but the young squire sidestepped and sent his shield into the side of Griff's head.

The king's squire fell back a step, clutching his helm. It was only a second later that he realized he'd dropped his sword. Timmy gave a triumphant shout and raised his sword above his head, but Griff lurched at him, grabbing him around the waist and lifting him off the ground. He would often wrestle with his sisters when they were younger and was no stranger to fighting enemies heavier than him.

He threw Timmy to the ground and kicked his sword away. He straddled the squire and raised his shield above his head. He drove it down on his enemy's helm again and again and again before he ripped it off and threw it to the side. He raised his shield again, but Timmy yelled, "Yield!" and held his hands above his face.

Griff dropped his shield and removed his helmet. At once he was drowned in the sounds of cheering and the stomping of feet. He could hear Higgs and Baby Man and the king hooting his name, and the bystanders yelling in victory or anger.

"Well fought," his opponent said from underneath him. He was bleeding from his nose, but his smile was still intact. His hair was orange as the sunset, and his eyes a cozy brown. "Might I get up now?"

"Huh? Oh!" Griff rolled off and offered him a hand. When they were both on their feet, Griff shook his hand and said, "You did well."

"As did you." His opponent pulled him in close and whispered in his ear, "Be cautious. A man in a black robe offered me a dozen gold quarters to end your life."

"What?" Griff said, reeling back.

"Peace," Timmy said, raising a hand. "I refused him; I am too honorable to be bought, but I thought you should know—someone doesn't want you to win this. Take care, Griff."

Griff swallowed. "Thank you, Timmy of Grenendale."

His former opponent inclined his head. "You are welcome, friend. Should you find yourself in Grenendale, do not hesitate to find me; I would gladly buy you a flagon of ale and trade stories of our adventures."

Griff smiled. "Perhaps I'll take you up on that offer."

The rest of the day went by uneventfully, and it was after dark that everyone was allowed to return to their tents.

Griff went to bed sore and tired. Bruises as purple as grapes and large as apples polka-dotted his arms and legs and chest, and his shoulders ached from the weight of his armor. The rest of the squires looked just as bad—if not worse—than him, and they were all groaning and moaning from their injuries.

"Well done, everyone!" the king said, clapping his hands together once, smiling widely. "But the competition isn't over yet; tomorrow, you get up bright and early! Can't let that _ingrate_ Crocula's squire win." He said the last part quietly.

Everyone groaned at the thought of getting up early, and each of them retired to their own tents with a quiet farewell and hisses of pain as they limped away. _If this is what knighthood is like,_ Griff thought, _it might not be for me._

He fell asleep face-down on his pillow. He didn't even pull the blankets over himself.

His dreams were surreal and strange.

He saw a woman with grey skin laying on a bed of mud and fur. A massive man and six children stood near her. A woman with dark skin passed the woman a wriggling bundle.

"Oh, he's beautiful," the woman said. Her voice was weak from strain, and Griff could tell she had just given birth.

"He is," the brutish man said.

"What's his name?" asked one of the children. It was a female. She was shorter than the rest of them, with tiny horns on her head.

"Argalac," the woman said. She held the baby out to one of the children.

"Look, my love, you're a big brother." The child didn't react, and his eyes were almost empty.

The vision faded like ripples in a pond, and the next one was more somber. The same woman stood over a patch of fresh dirt on her knees, sobbing. The large man had a hand around her, and he looked angry. The children were all around her too, sobbing just as hard her—except the boy. He stood behind them, his face blank. The dark woman put a hand on his back. "How are you feeling?" she asked, softly.

The boy's blue eyes didn't move. "I don't know."

 _Who…who is that?_ Griff thought to himself. He felt like he should have known, but he didn't.

Next he saw an army of monsters marching north, toward a delate and ruined castle. A boy in a red hoodie held out his arms, his skin black as night and red eyes as crimson. There was a dagger in his heart, and a butterfly made of starlight was perched on the handle.

A hummingbird flew about, singing its cheerful song. Then its feathers seemed to melt away, revealing four transparent wings, a long green tail, and two large beady eyes. Near it, a butterfly was perched on a yellow flower. The dragonfly flew from its spot and soared at the butterfly, who took to the air with graceful ease. They circled one another, again and again and again, and Griff saw the dragonfly fall into the mud, a crowd roaring with laughter.

A boy in armor stood on the prow of a ship. He had long blonde hair and pale eyes. On his back was a hand-and-a-half sword, a large red gem on the hilt. Next to him, a girl with long black hair held the railing of the ship, skin almost green.

"We must leave soon," the boy said. A storm raged around them, and their ship rocked with the waves.

"Brother, we can't," the girl said. "If Mercury isn't back—"

"—then we leave without him," the boy said sharply. "He was a fool to go on his own; if he is caught, then it's his own damn fault."

"But—"

"But nothing!" The man in the armor let out a heavy sigh and gripped her shoulders with his hands. "Our enemies grow stronger every day, sister. We must stay together if we are to best them. If Mercury doesn't return within a fortnight, then we have to assume the worst. Mother would want us to stay strong—can you do that?"

She nodded solemnly, but Griff saw that there were tears in her eyes. "Mm-hmm."

"Good."

The final vision he was of an army marching past a ruined Castle Butterfly, the throne of Mewni itself shattered to pieces, and leading them was a tall figure with black daggers molded into a crown. At his side was a woman with pale skin and a white dress, and there were suns on her cheeks.

Griff woke with a gasp, panting and sweaty on his bed. The others weren't up yet—it was only him. He gripped his sheets tightly, his knuckles going white. Fear gripped his heart and he felt his eyes water. It would still be a few more hours until sunlight, he could see. _I must rest,_ he thought. _I'll be fighting the hummingbird next._

Then a thought came to him. _No. Those were nothing but dreams of someone who is too lost in fantasy to think straight. He isn't…_ Griff shook his head. _No. It's not possible._

He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but then he saw the army moving south, and the two children on that boat…

Griff didn't sleep for the rest of the night.

-o-

Higgs lost her second round against a boy from the Johansen Kingdom—a strong young lad with brown hair and large muscles.

She had to be carried off the field, muddy and cursing. Her opponent had gotten some good hits in and had taken some as well. He was bleeding in several places, and one of his arms didn't seem to be able to move. When she found them again, Higgs was quiet and brooding. Griff decided to give her some space.

Baby Man beat his opponent easily; a young girl from the Kelpbottom Kingdom with gills and scales and webbed feet. All Baby Man had to do was pick her up and slam her on the ground and she gave up.

"Good job, dude!" Griff said eagerly, patting the big guy on the back. Old Guys laughed and did the same, while Higgs just scoffed and looked away. Griff steeled his jaw. If she was going to act like a child, she'd be treated like a child.

When they called his name a few hours later, the king hooted louder than anyone else. "Go, Griff!" he called. "That's my squire, yes he is."

Griff's armor was heavier than the day before, likely due to his lack of sleep. From across the field, Jon the Hummingbird saw to his own armor. When his knight handed him a one-handed sword, he gave it a few swings and plucked up his shield.

Griff took his own shield and advanced onto the field.

"Good fortune, friend," the hummingbird said. "Sleep well?"

Griff didn't answer. _I'm just imagining it._

The hummingbird gave a soft smile through his half-helm. "Nothing to say? Very well then."

He launched a slash over his head, but Griff caught it with his shield. The wood splintered a bit, but it did its job. Griff jabbed with his sword, but Jon caught it with his shield. They both drew their weapons back and charged again, hacking and slashing at each other, looking for some opening they could exploit. The musician gave a laugh as they fought, his bright teeth flashing. He thought it was a game, but Griff didn't; he didn't care about knighthood or even of winning—all he cared about was beating the laughing bird in front of him.

… _most of these people were Dragonfly supporters!_

 _Then its feathers seemed to melt away, revealing four transparent wings, a long green tail, and two large beady eyes._

 _If Mercury isn't back—_

Griff knocked his opponent back with his shield. Jon let out a heavy breath and swung his sword back and forth, testing the weight. It seemed that the musician wasn't a well-rested as he seemed. His armor was dented in several places, and he had a cut above his left eye.

"I know who you are," Griff said as they circled one another.

Jon raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"That drink you gave me revealed it."

He let out a smile. "So you did drink it."

"And I know why you're here."

The singer's smile was arrogant and egotistical, just like his ancestors had been. "Then why don't you tell them?"

"Very well then." He said the next words loudly, enough so everyone could hear: "Your name isn't Jon the Hummingbird. You're Mercury Dragonfly, a bastard pretender.

* * *

A/N: Okay everyone, if you enjoyed then please review. If you want to be alerted to when I update, then follow and favorite. Finally, would you all want a Battle of Mewni chapter(s) from Griff's POV? Please let me know ASAP so I can re-watch the movie and write out an outline.

Bye!


	9. Chapter 9

**A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Nine: Melee**

The stands were silent for a long white, until the Hummingbird through his head back and laughed—a long, boisterous laugh that carried off into the sky.

"You…you have no…no idea how long I've…" He couldn't finish the rest, too preoccupied with his laughter. Griff wasn't laughing. His lips were pressed together tightly, his sword gripped tightly in his hand. Finally, Mercury Dragonfly managed to recover enough to look up at the viewing stand where the king and queen were sitting. "How's this for a family reunion, eh, Moon?"

The queen's mouth was hanging open, but then she closed it, shot to her feet, and yelled, "Seize him!" When nobody moved, she looked around, frazzled. "What are you doing? Your queen gave you a command!"

"The false queen," a man said. He was wearing an orange doublet with long sleeves. "Our true ruler is there!" He pointed to Mercury.

"Lord Darklyn," she said, "this is treason. You will be tried and executed for this."

"Is it treason to support my rightful king?"

Mercury laughed. "You see, cousin? This entire tourney was a farce, designed to trick you into leaving the comfort of your—excuse me, _my_ castle."

"Lord Flaagon?" Queen Moon asked.

The lord closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but it's true. You are no true queen, and you killed my brother in your war, I'll not follow you anymore."

Griff scoffed. "You are no true king, bastard. Your brother Quasar still lives, the eldest child of Luna Dragonfly."

"Then I shall win this kingdom for my dear brother," said Mercury. "Men, seize the king and queen. Kill anyone who tries to stop you. Bring this one"—he pointed his sword at Griff—"to my chambers. I wish to speak with him."

From above, men began to shift and move, drawing their blades. Knights formed a protective circle around Moon and River, but there were too few to stop them.

"No!" Griff shouted, desperate. He had come too far. He would _not_ lose his kingdom to some usurper.

"No?" the bastard said, perplexed. "My dear Griff, nobody can stop this. This is _destiny_."

 _No,_ Griff thought, _this is my dance with destiny._ Then a spark came to him, a bright bolt of electricity that surged through his whole core.

"If it is meant to be," he said slowly, "then surely the gods would agree with you."

Mercury cocked his head. "Surely. What of it?"

"Two sides here claim different things. One says you are a king, another says you are a pretender. Let the gods decide which of them it right."

Mercury shifted on his feet. "An interesting proposal. How would this be decided?"

"A trial by battle," Griff said. "I represent one side, you another."

The prince _tsk_ ed. "It is not a worthy thing for a prince to battle a squire." He lowered his voice. "But a prince against a prince…"

 _He knows who I am,_ Griff realized at once, heart pounding. He coughed. "Yes, but I am the king's squire, trained to fight by him with his own blades. Surely that means I am worthy of representing him."

"Griff…" he heard the king say.

He gave the king a look that said _Trust me_. King River looked conflicted for a few moments, but then he nodded and sat down. Emboldened with a newfound sense of confidence, Griff turned to face his combatant.

"What say you, Dragonfly? Certainly a ruler such as you has no fear from a lowly squire."

There was murmuring from the crowd. All the lords and ladies were looking at the pretender, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Very well, then!" cried the Dragonfly. There was thunderous applause from the stands. "However," the prince called out, "I must present myself truly, if I am to be in the gods' favor. Allow me one moment, sir."

"If you flee—"

"—then the gods will deem me unworthy. Fear not, friend, I shan't flee."

He retreated to his pavilion, where he began to shed his armor. From beneath his metal, Griff began to sweat. _He knows who I am. If he escapes or lives, he'll tell all my secret. No, I won't let that happen. He won't leave here alive._

Less than a minute later, the Hummingbird was back on the field, but he was no longer a Hummingbird. He was dressed in fine plate, a surcoat displaying the Dragonfly sigil—a soaring green dragonfly on a black field—over his chest, a great long sword in his hand. His helmet was off, and his hair dripped wet; honey-blonde, with silver stars on his cheeks.

"Are you prepared?" he asked. "I won't be going easy on you."

"I'm ready," Griff said. "Come on, then."

Mercury charged quickly, sword flashing in the sunlight. Griff caught it and spun away, untouched. Mercury came on again, but Griff caught the strike on his shield, wood chops flying this way and that. Griff pushed into the pretender with his shoulder, sending the princeling into the mud.

"The Green Fly?" someone called from the stands. "More like the Brown Fly!" There was laughter now, coming from all sides. Mercury blushed under his helm and charged with a loud bellow.

Griff was sent reeling as the sword came quickly and without warning, slashing right, left, left, right, up, down, down, up, left, down, and onwards it went.

Something hard slammed Griff in the back, and he turned to see it was one of the posts of a nearby pavilion. A torch hung on it, and a large barrel of oil glistened black below it. Suddenly Griff got an idea.

The Hummingbird was upon him now, armor wet and brown as a chamber pot. He raised his sword again, but Griff slammed his chest with his shield, sending him stumbling back. At once, Griff swung his sword around again, plunging it up to the hilt into the oil. Before his opponent could recover and charge him, he withdrew his sword and swiped it through the torch overhead; instantly the oil caught fire and his sword glowed with the dozens of red tongues of fire that danced up his blade.

Spectators gasped and awed, and Griff could feel the warmth of the fire on his wrist and hand, but he didn't care. This wasn't a tourney for squires or a battle in the honor of his kingdom—this was a battle between a usurper and a prince who refused to give up his crown for anything.

Mercury stopped abruptly, eyes wide. Griff took that opportunity to attack. He slashed and hacked, at sword, leg, face, shield, feet, and arms. When the sword caught on the shield, the flames caught on the shield and spread quickly.

Mercury stumbled back, screaming. He hacked down at the shield, splitting it into tiny pieces, but more were still strapped to his arm. By now people were screaming things like, "Help him!" or "Somebody stop this!" and "Kill him!"

 _He is no warrior,_ Griff observed. He charged again, bringing their swords together again, sending flames down on the Hummingbird's surcoat, which began to smoke and catch fire. Mercury screamed and tried to push Griff away, to no avail.

Griff swung his sword again, but when the blades came together, his sword split, the blade spinning away into the mud.

Mercury bellowed and swung wildly, cutting at his neck and head. Griff's head was swimming with pain, one eye forced closed from a blow of Mercury's pommel. _I have to end this._ When the sword came on again, Griff shifted, caught the blade under his arm and sent his shield at his opponent's head. Something warm slid down his face and into his mouth, and Griff realized that he was bleeding.

Mercury fell backwards. Griff grabbed his burning surcoat with two hands and pulled it off, throwing it aside. He reached into his belt and pulled free his dagger. With one hand he pulled off the Dragonfly's helm and tossed it aside. Gripping his dagger with both hands, he raised it over his head and stabbed downward.

Mercury caught his wrists, keeping the blade a few centimeters away from his jugular. For a few seconds they struggled, but then Griff got a second wind and forced the knife down, stabbing right into the princeling's neck. Red blood oozed from the wound and a line trickled down Mercury's mouth. His eyes were wide with fear.

Griff let go of the dagger and pulled his helmet off. At once he was drowned in smells and sounds: men and women screaming, the clang of swords, the smell of burnt flesh and dented metal, the taste of blood.

Below him, Mercury Dragonfly let out a light whimpering sound.

"Cos…mos…"

Then he went still, his eyes glazed over and foggy.

Griff raised a mailed hand to his forehead, feeling his warm forehead. When he brought his hand down to look at it, he saw the fingers were covered in blood, and he felt his hair was stuck down by something.

 _Oh,_ he had time to think, then black spots swam in his vision, and he saw the ground coming up to meet him. The last thing he felt was cool mud mixing with warm blood.

-o-

His eyes felt heavy, and he heard the sound of cracks as he opened them. Looking around, he saw that he was in the infirmary, a bandage around his forehead.

"So, the great hero wakes."

Surprised, Griff turned to see Queen Moon, sitting in the chair next to his bed. "Queen Moon!" he said, shooting up. "What a surprise! Give me a—" he was interrupted by hand pushing down on his chest, forcing him from getting out of bed.

"Stay down," the queen said softly, "we have a lot to talk about."

Griff swallowed but stayed put.

"That was a very foolish thing you did."

Griff nodded. "I know. It's just…I couldn't watch you die. You or the king."

The queen sighed. "You shouldn't have to worry about that."

He shrugged. "No, but I still do." There was a pause. "What happened to Lord Flaagon?"

"He and his co-conspirators are being tried as we speak. They'll be found guilty and either executed or fined heavily. Either way, they'll think twice about trying to overthrow us again." She looked at him with a smile. "Don't misunderstand me, Griff, you were very brave, but next time, try and act a little more cautiously. River would never forgive himself if something happened to you."

"I'll keep that in mind, Your Grace."

"You've turned into quite the story, Griff."

"Your Grace?"

"They're calling you the Brightflame. And the Boy with the Flaming Sword. And Firebrand. Quite amusing, actually."

Griff smiled. "I didn't mean to. It was just a split-second thing, you know?"

Moon laughed. "I do, actually." She ran a hand through his hair. "Are you well enough to stand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. I'll get you some proper clothes. We'll meet River outside the castle walls."

"Where are we, Your Grace?"

"Castle Flaagon's infirmary. Lord Flaagon was more than willing to find you a doctor for your wounds. Don't try and remove the bandages, or you could end up in far worse condition." She rose.

"Come, Griff, we're going home."

* * *

A/N: Okay everyone, what did you think? Next chapter will be the Battle of Mewni, and Cosmos will finally meet Star. Get hype! Anyway, please leave a review telling me what you thought. If you liked it, then favorite, and if you want to see how this ends, please don't forget to follow. PM me with questions, concerns, etc., and I'll do my best to respond as soon as possible.


	10. Chapter 10

**A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Ten: The Battle for Mewni**

Griff's victory over Mercury Dragonfly had won him fame across the land—and it was starting to grate on him.

Whenever he went down to the training yard or the mess hall, knights and their squires would shout out to him.

"Hail, Brightflame!" they'd say, or, "Burning Boy!" or "Look, it's the boy with the flaming sword!" It was nice…for the first three or four times, but after four dozen? Not so much.

Higgs was the worst.

She'd bow low and say, "Pardons, knight with the burning blade," and rise with a smirk so arrogant Griff was unsure how the room could contain her ego. Whenever they entered a new room, she'd shout out: "All rise, for Sir Griff the Brightflame, vanquisher of the evil Dragonflies!" and all the assembled knights or staff would burst out laughing and slam their feet on the ground, shouting, "Griff, Griff, Griff, Griff!"

"Will you stop that!" he'd whisper to her. "I'm not even a knight!"

She'd giggle and put a hand on her hip. "So? Just you wait, Griffy, once Baby Man and I come up with some good lyrics, we'll have a song for you and everything!"

He slapped himself. "Ugh! Please don't."

"Too late; we've already got the first verse down. Wanna hear it?"

" _NO!"_

She shook her head. "You're right. We can't spoil the song until it's done."

Griff groaned again and looked up at the sky. It was nearing late morning, and the king had yet to make an appearance. _I should go wake him._ After giving Higgs a quick farewell, Griff made his way through the castle, all the way up to the king's chambers.

 _Now that I think about it,_ he thought, _the queen hasn't been seen around yet, either. I hope everything's alright._

In the weeks since the tournament, the queen seemed more and more occupied, most likely dealing with the "fritz" that the king had spoken of. The king's research hadn't yielded any information on the old ones, either, but Griff could only deal with so many things at a time.

The king was still asleep, head buried in his pillow, facedown. _That can't be good,_ Griff thought. Walking over to the side of the bed, Griff saw that the mattress was covered in filth and grime. Wincing, Griff put a hand on the king's shoulder and shook.

"Your Grace," he said, "wake up." The queen's absence had affected the king in a great many ways. For one, he was able to do whatever he wanted without fear of his wife's watchful eye, which meant he did his favorite things: partying, dancing, eating, and fighting a monkey. For three days Griff had tried to reign him in, but to no avail—the king was simply too wild to listen to his squire.

The king gasped and sat up, throwing what looked like a giant mascot head out the window. Griff thought he heard the screech of a monkey, but that was likely just his imagination.

"Oh, no," the king said, looking out the open window, where there was, indeed, a white money scampering across the roof. _Gosh dang it._ "Well, you're free now, little monkey." He looked over. "Griff! How good to see you. What say we get some music?"

"Actually, Your Grace, I don't think—"

The king reached over the bed toward his gramophone but saw that it was covered in corn and spilled drink. Grimacing for a second, the king tried to start the machine, only for it to let out a hissing sound and turn uselessly, taking the food and drink along for the ride.

"Uh, can you come fix my thing?"

Griff sighed and shook his head. "No, Your Grace, but maybe we should—"

"Looks like I've got to go wake somebody up." Crawling off the bed, Griff was disturbed to see that the king was in little more than his underwear.

"Maybe you should get some pants on before—"

"Foolduke! Wake up!"

"He's not even listening to me," Griff muttered. "Don't know why I bother."

Foolduke was lying on the ground, legs spread wide. When the king shouted again, she woke up with a "Ug-huh," spit coming from the side of her mouth in a line.

"Ah, Foolduke. Ha! My music thing isn't working. I need you to take a look at it."

"Where's my monkey?" Foolduke demanded, eyes wide and bloodshot.

The king shrugged on a blue robe and placed his crown on his head. "Oh. Oh. That was _your_ monkey? Can't say that I've seen him. Not to be rude, but there are more pressing matters, you see—"

There was a sound of fabric ripping and a blue swirling vortex opened up in the middle of the room. The king looked on, unconcerned. A boy with tan skin, brown eyes, and brown hair poked a head through the portal. He seemed to be wearing a sort of red tunic over a white shirt, and he had a mole on his cheek.

"Uh, Star? Wow, this place is a mess," the stranger said, stepping out of the portal and carrying a rectangular blue box.

"Marco!" the king cried, running at the boy and crushing him in a hug. Griff heard a soft crunch and knew that the stranger's box had been crushed.

"Oh, hey, River," the boy—Marco—said.

Griff raised an eyebrow. _Who is this, and why is he addressing the king so informally?_ It was true that the king wasn't a stickler about formality, but there was a difference between being informal and being disrespectful.

The king didn't seem to care, though, content with squeezing Marco even tighter. "Marco, my boy! I can't believe you're here! Have you seen Foolduke's monkey?" He whispered the last part.

"Uh…no."

The king separated from Marco. "Well, we'd better keep an eye out. I threw him—Uh?" Looking down, the king noticed the crushed box of what looked like dried flakes of corn. "Well, what's this?"

"Oh, well, they were Captain Blanche's Sugar Seeds. It's, uh, Star's favorite cereal. You can't get them on Mewni, so I brought her a box."

Pointing, the king said, "Marco, you're not giving that to my daughter. It's all smashed. Probably a good thing she's not here." He walked away.

Marco let out a low groan, then seemed to take notice of Griff. "Uh…who are you?"

He offered a hand. "I'm Griff, King River's squire. Pleasure." Griff was a few inches taller than Marco, with a deeper voice and lighter skin tone.

"Uh, you too," Marco said, taking the offered hand.

"Look," Griff whispered, "I hate to ask—I mean, we just met—but can you, I don't know, talk to him? He's been a bit crazy lately and I don't know how much more the castle can take."

Marco looked over Griff's shoulder. Across the room, the king was wiggling his fingers at one of the stereos, saying, "Now there must be some other way to summon forth the music. We will rock at you!"

The earthling looked back with a resigned face. "Fine," he sighed.

"Thank you," Griff whispered.

"Look, River, I gotta say I'm pretty worried about Star. She left Earth in kind of a hurry. She's not in trouble or anything, right?"

The king whirled around, aghast. "No, not at all! She and her mother just took a little trip, and Moon Pie asked me to keep up morale in the kingdom until they get back. So we've been rippin' it nonstop for days!"

"I-I don't know, man. Have you looked outside?" Marco walked over to one of the large castle balconies and stood by a railing.

Following, the king said, "What do you mean, 'Have I looked outside?'"

"What I mean is morale doesn't look so high to me."

Down below, Mewmans were running around, screaming in pure terror. Buildings were on fire, and corn carts had been thrown on their sides.

"It's been like this since the queen left, Your Grace," Griff said. "Maybe you should do something."

The king, to his credit, didn't look surprised or worried. "What are you talking about, Marco? The people are happy if their king is happy. Let me show you." He climbed onto the railing. "Greetings, my gleeful subjects!" The Mewmans stopped screaming and looked up. "Ah! Funny story! My know-it-all friend Marco Diaz here seems to think you're not having a good time. And I said, 'That's impossible!' Of course you're having a good time with all these good times I'm having. So tell me, are you not lifted?!"

Someone in the back yelled, "Whoo!" but a raggedy man next to a small stream said, "How's about you lift some of this garbage out of the streets?!"

"Huh? Is that what that stuff is? I thought you were all having a garage sale."

"What are you gonna do about the burning building?!"

"Ah, you have to let one burn every once in a while. How else will you have room for a new one?"

"Well, what about the monster in the cornfield?"

King River looked confused. "There's no monster in the corn—" A loud grumble stopped his sentence. Outside the castle walls, a giant blue-green monster was hunched over, munching on corn.

"That's new," Griff muttered.

The king swallowed. Next to him, Marco's eyes were wide. "Huh. Well, I'll be dipped. Well, I should be able to take care of that." He cracked his knuckles and cried, "Hey, you there! Move along! Scram! Get out!"

The monster stopped eating, looked over, and stood up. Then, lifting a giant clawed foot up, began to march toward the city. People began to mutter and whisper to each other in a panic.

"Don't worry!" the king said. "She'll never make it past the magic shield!"

The monster stepped over the shield. More people screamed.

"There's still the moat! Yes. She'll never make it across the magic moat!"

The monster stepped over the moat. More people screamed.

"The magic traffic cones?"

The monster stepped across the traffic cones. From down below someone yelled, "We're about to die, y'all! Run!" The rest of them took his lead and began a mass panic.

"Hey! Thanks for partyin' us all to our deaths!" an old woman yelled.

The king sniffled, and Griff noticed there were tears in his eyes. "She's right. I'm not fit to rule." He handed Marco the crown and walked back into the castle, closing the door behind him.

"Uh, Your Grace, what should we do about the—" The door slammed before Griff could finish his sentence.

"Hey!" Marco cried.

A metallic clicking sound let them know the king had locked the door.

"You locked us out!"

"Oh, no. Now I've locked you two on the balcony."

"It's okay," Marco said, poking his head through one of the nearby windows. "Just unlock the door."

The sound of sobbing increased. "I can't do anything right!" River shrieked. "I can't do anything right."

"Pathetic," Griff sneered. To think, he was related to _this_? "We have to do something. Here"—he crouched down and linked his hands together—"I'll give you a boost."

A moment later, Marco managed to fit through the window and unlocked the castle balcony, letting Griff enter.

"Hey, pull yourself together, man!" Marco said, walking to where the king was sitting.

"The monster is almost here, Your Grace," Griff said, not far behind Marco.

"Moon should never have left me in charge," the king was saying. "'The people love you,' she said. 'Keep them happy and safe,' she said. And now, because of me, the kingdom is defenseless!" Across the room, a knight blew a party horn. "Moon didn't even tell me where she was taking Star. What if something happened to them? No wonder I want to party all the time. I'm worried sick!"

"I'm worried, too," said Marco. "Star just... left. Do you have any idea when she'll be back?"

"It's funny you should ask, Marco. Let me show you something. Whenever Moon goes away, she always puts together a few outfits for me, so I know what to wear while she's gone. But... But look at this!" He pointed to a large closet that was full of outfits identical to the one he was wearing now. "She's got them piled up all the way to the top of the room. So it's probably she's not coming back..." He started crying again. "...anytime soon, is she, Marco?"

"I don't know. But they can't ever come home if they don't have a home to come home to."

Outside, the monster growled. The ground was starting to shake from the impact of the footprints.

 _This has to end soon,_ Griff thought. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _Gods have mercy._

He took three steps, grabbed the blue robe of the king, hauled him to his feet…

…and punched him as hard as he could across the cheek.

The king fell to the floor with a grunt. Normally, to strike a royal family member would cost whichever appendage had struck the blow, so Griff could kiss his hand goodbye; but there was a chance that wouldn't matter soon.

The king looked flabbergasted. "Wha—You…you just—"

"Get a hold of yourself!" Griff screamed. "There's a monster outside! Defend your kingdom, rally your people!"

"But they hate me! They've never hated me before."

"That doesn't matter," Marco said, giving River his crown. "You're the only king they have."

River chuckled. "You sound just like my wife. And that's what I need!" He put on his crown and walked out onto the balcony. "My people! Please, listen!" When nobody answered, he spoke louder. "We all"—a corn ear hit him in the head—"Ow! Okay, I deserved that. Look, if the queen were here, she'd fix all this with her magic! Well, she's not here! But that doesn't mean we should cower in fear. We still have each other, and together, we can defeat this monster!"

"No offense, King, but you're a terrible king!" a woman screamed.

 _That seems to be a trend among the Butterflys._

"You're right. I stink at this. But right now, I'm all you've got and you're all I've got."

"We can't do anything!" someone cried.

"We don't have any weapons or magic!" said another.

"We don't need magic to do extraordinary things," the king implored. "Dentist! Construction worker! Remember when you two worked together to dislodge that tooth-shaped rock in the road? Blacksmith! You worked with the turtle sanctuary to make iron shells for the turtles in need! And you two weirdos hold the record for the longest staring contest!" From the crowd, the two having a staring contest lost concentration and one blinked. The other hooted and started jumping up and down. "We all can do something unique and helpful, and that's Mewni's greatest strength! And it's what Queen Moon loves the most about all of you!"

"Yeah, we are pretty good!" someone said from the crowd.

The monster was getting closer. Mewmans began to cheer, their firsts pumping.

"So what do you say? Let's show that monster what happens when it messes with Mewmans!"

There was more cheering.

"Huh! Foolduke, fetch us our loincloths!"

"What?" both Griff and Marco said, looking at each other for confirmation.

Ten minutes later, the king, Marco, Griff (dressed in green grassy loincloths), and all the townsfolk charged out the gates of the Butterfly Kingdom, yelling bloody murder.

The king bent down and licked the ground. "He's near."

Marco pointed. "Yeah, he's right there."

The king climbed onto a small hill. "Hey, monster!" The monster turned. "Go away!"

The monster growled and stepped closer, until he was right in front of the king. "Go away? But you're the one who called me over," the monster said, voice low and grumbly.

"What? I didn't call you over," the king said, looking confused.

"Yes, you did. You kept motioning, 'Come here, come here.'"

"Oh, no, I was motioning, 'Go away, go away!'"

"Oh, no. That's, 'Come here, come here.'"

"No, it's, 'Go away, go away!'"

The monster sighed. "Ugh. So you're telling me I came all this way for nothing? I got, like, a thousand splinters on this foot." He lifted his foot, and Griff winced when he saw a Mewman peasant squished under the heel.

"Help me," he begged.

"You might consider widening the streets a little," the monster said, holding his hands out for emphasis. "Ugh. What a waste of my day." He walked away, grumbling.

The Mewmans were quiet for a second, but then they erupted into loud cheers. "We did it!" King River cried. "Everyone, I'm holding one final off-the-chain party at the castle in honor of all of you!"

"Three cheers for King River!" the blacksmith shouted.

"Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!"

 _Well done, Your Grace,_ Griff thought, smiling.

"Hip, hip—" they were cut off by a raspy voice cheering above them. Griff looked over.

A small green bearded thing with a beak and yellow eyes was standing on a giant gray spider with beady red eyes. Next to them was a large bald eagle. The green thing was dressed in a yellow chip bag, and he was smiling.

"Hip, hip, hooray," the green thing said. He raised a hand and opened his palm. He only had two fingers, a thumb, and a tiny stump where his middle finger had been. A green crystal in the middle of his palm began to glow, and an army of rats appeared on top of every building around them.

Before Griff or the king or Marco could respond, the rats charged.

-o-

The dungeons were cramped, damp, and gloomy. Griff, Marco, and King River were confined to a small cell, chained by their wrists to the wall. They had no idea how long they had been there, but Griff guessed it was a few days, at least. The king was doing his best to keep morale up, but there wasn't much he could do. Right now, he was playing chess with Marco, using dead beetles and tiny stones.

"Checkmate," the king said, placing a bug with his foot.

Marco sighed. "I'm bad at everything."

"First rule of chess, Marco: you must always protect your king."

The metal door began to jangle, and the king knocked the board away with his foot. The green thing—Ludo, Marco had called him—stood in the middle of the door, two rats at his side. He was dressed in the king's robes and was wearing the king's golden crown.

 _Little monster stole that crown,_ Griff thought. _My crown._

"What do _you_ want?" King River demanded, looking angry.

"You're coming with me," Ludo said.

The king shook his head. "No way. I'm not going anywhere with you."

"That's too bad. It's urgent royal business." He walked into the cell and unlocked River's chains. "I need you to command the people to like me."

The king laughed. "Why would I do that? I don't even like you. Shuffling about and talking to that wand hand of yours. It's weird."

Ludo growled. "Fine! If you won't help me, then you can just rot in this cell! Say good-bye to your freedom!" He tried to force the key string onto his neck, but it got stuck on his massive head.

The king was stifling laughter. Marco said, "Oh, Ludo," and Griff snickered, "Behold, the mighty king."

"Butter," Ludo said. One of the rats handed him a stick of butter, which he lathered on his head, causing the key to slide onto his head. "Change of plan. I'm giving you twenty-four hours to figure out a way to make the people of Mewni like me, or I'll... I'll Levitato you into the sky forever!"

"Ooh, I'm so scared," the king said sarcastically.

"Twenty-four hours," Ludo said again. He exited shortly thereafter, taking his guards with him.

"Dude, Ludo's gone completely nuts," Marco said.

"You're telling me. He left behind a perfectly good stick of butter!" The king reached for it with his foots. "Oh, I can…almost taste it."

"Your Grace, now isn't the time for…" Griff gasped. "Butter!" From the looks of it, Marco had the same idea. Marco squeezed out of one of his shoes and began to reach for one of the shoes.

The king, noticing, said, "Yes, yes! You're young and limber. Reach out for it, boy." When the boy reached it, the king gave a triumphant laugh and said, "Excellent! Ha-ha!"

Marco passed the butter to his arm and lathered up his wrists, sliding out of his chains.

"Nice work, Marco," the king complimented.

"Here. Butter yourself up, and I'll see if I can figure a way out of here."

"Try the AC vent."

Marco looked at the metal grate in the corner of the room. "The dungeon has air conditioning?"

The king waved a hand. "It's a dungeon, not a torture chamber."

Marco opened the vent. "Nice! How are those shackles coming?"

River had a suspicious yellow liquid on his lips. "I don't think this is going to work."

"Your Grace!" Griff yelled.

"River! Did you eat the butter, River?" Marco asked.

"...I used to be king," River muttered.

"Okay, okay. I'll go steal that key from Ludo, and then we'll all get out of here."

"You should just go. This isn't your fight," the king said, dejectedly.

"Uh, no, you shouldn't," Griff said. "Get me out of here!"

Marco climbed into the air conditioning vent and began to crawl down the vent.

"Marco, listen to your king!" River whispered.

"Marco, get me out of here!" Griff said.

Marco appeared ten minutes later, crawling out of the sewer entrance in the center of the room with Foolduke, a singer, and the castle mime.

"Ah! Marco!" River said, surprised.

"Hey, king, we're busting you two out of here," he said, unlocking the king's shackles. The king then reshackled himself. "Uh, what are you doing?" Marco asked.

"I won't abandon my people," the king said.

"What?!"

"Sometimes, you've got to let the king go."

Outside the door, Ludo's humming floated into the room. Marco's companions fled down the sewer, and Marco pretended to shackle himself back to the wall.

Ludo pushed the door open and walked into the cell. "Time's up. So, um... ready to... Wait. Wait. Where's my key?" He looked down and saw the key. "I must've dropped my key right in front of you, and you didn't even notice. What?! You could have been running free by now, prancing in the fields! Must make you feel pretty silly." He laughed, then yelled, "Spider!" The spider picked Ludo up. "So are you going to force everyone to like me, or is it Levitato time?"

"You may have the crown, but you will never be king," River said.

"We'll see how you feel once you've been Levitato'd."

Ludo, the eagle, and the spider dragged River away and closed the door.

"No! River!" Marco cried.

"Get me out of here, quick!" Griff said.

Marco unlocked the shackles and pulled Griff into the sewers with him. "Come on!"

A nearby drainage grate gave them a view of the castle courtyard. The king was standing on a wooden platform, surrounded by small folk and flags showing a green half-star on a blue-green field.

"Welcome to the reign of King Ludo!" Ludo said. He gestured to River. "This is what happens to anyone who doesn't show respect and adoration for their king! Do you have any last words?" he asked the king.

"People of Mewni!" River shouted. "I am not afraid—"

"Blah-blah-blah. Levitato." Ludo extended his hand, and a green aura enveloped the king.

"—and neither should yoooooooouuuuuuu!" he screamed as he was pulled into the sky. The peasants began to scream and gasp.

"What are we gonna do now?" Foolduke asked.

Griff and Marco shared a look. "Now," Marco said, "we fight." He wiped brown stuff across his cheeks.

"Uh, you know that's not mud, right?"

 _Gross,_ Griff thought.

-o-

The next morning, they received some surprising news: the princess had been captured by Ludo and his minions.

In response, Marco had planned a rescue mission. It was simple: Marco would disguise himself as a rat, free the princess, and call for backup when she was free.

That was how Griff found himself crawling through the rafters of the castle dungeons behind Ruberiot. The group stopped over a large grate. Below, Griff could see Marco speaking with a girl with blonde hair and a green dress.

The princess.

 _She looks just like me_ , Griff thought with wonder. _My baby sister._ He had been the youngest child back home; all of his siblings were girls and all of them older. It had caused him no short amount of irritation. But now, looking at Princess Star, he could say he had found another piece of his family.

The final piece.

Below him, Marco let out a tiny whistle.

"Is that the signal?"

"It doesn't sound like a dove," Ruberiot said.

Marco whistled again. "Morning dove!" he said when nobody answered.

"That's not what a dove sounds like on Mewni," Foolduke called down.

Marco slapped his forehead. "Ugh; just get down here!"

Griff kicked open the grate and hopped down, striking a heroic pose. The other three followed suit, righteous music (courtesy of Ruberiot) following their grand entrance.

"Star, allow me to introduce you to"—Marco put on a blue beret—" _La Resistance_!" He unfolded a map and everyone crouched down around it to get a better look. "The easiest way to depose a ruler is to destroy his credibility. So, this virtual pet will represent Ludo. And this 650 dollars is us. And this feather is bird and spider. Normally, they're always with him or nearby, except bird and spider break to feed every five hours. When he's alone, we take this air duct to the throne room. And that's when Foolduke hits him with..."

"…rubber chicken!" Foolduke cried, holding out a yellow chicken.

"Nope," Marco said.

"Uh, how about whoopee cushion?"

"No, we talked about this before. Ruberiot?"

"I have a ripping parody song I've been working on."

The princess did not sound amused. "He is great at ruining people's lives with songs. Marco, it seems like you guys are just kinda playing pranks."

"Yeah, we're still working on that payoff part," Marco said sheepishly.

"Okay, look, what you're doing here is, like, totally super-admirable, and Marco, you've never looked cuter in that beret, but Ludo is not the problem here. Toffee is controlling him. And I don't think a song is gonna fix things—"

Ludo suddenly burst in, carrying a tray of tea. "Actually, Star, I was thinking ab—" He stopped when he saw them, dropped his tea, and called, "Guards!"

Less than a minute later, all five of the resistance members were chained to the wall, though Star was still free.

"You'll never silence the resistance!" Ruberiot shouted.

"You!" Ludo said, pointing at Star. "You're coming with me. Levitato!"

A green aura covered the princess—the same aura that covered the king before he was…

"Whoaaah! What the heck?" Star began to struggle against the magic of Ludo's wand. "Oh, of course."

As she was carried out, Griff shouted, "Let her go! Leave her alone!" but he was ignored. The door slammed behind the disgusting green beast.

"We have to get out of here!" Griff said, struggling against his chains. "We need to help the princess."

Marco said, "Griff, Griff, _Griff_! You need to calm down."

"But—"

"We can't help Star until we figure out a plan. And I think I've got one." He glanced at all of them. "Follow my lead." He sucked in a deep breath and screamed, "We are the resistance! We remain insistent! We are the resistance! We remain insistent! We are the resistance! We remain insistent!"

"Uh, what are you doing?" Foolduke asked.

"Trying to get some attention, now come on! We are the resistance! We remain insistent!"

Griff shrugged and took up the call: "We are the resistance! We remain insistent! We are the resistance! We remain insistent! We are the resistance! We remain insistent!"

Pretty soon all of them—except the mime—were saying the words:

"We are the resistance! We remain insistent! We are the resistance! We remain insistent! We are the resistance! We remain insistent! We are the resistance! We remain insistent! We are the resistance! We remain insistent!"

Two rat guards opened the door, armed with spears. One of them was wearing Marco's hat.

"You can't silence the resistance! And gimme back my beret," Marco said.

The rats ignored him, instead walking right up to him, putting their spears under his chin.

"Wait, why are you...? Actually, the resistance can be quieter."

Only Griff stopped chanting. The others kept it up.

"Be brave, Marco!" Ruberiot said. "You may fall, but the resistance lives on!"

"What?!" One of the rats pushed the spearpoint to his skin. "Wait, why just me?"

A large shadow covered one of the rats, was suddenly thrown against a wall. The other one was slapped aside and hit the floor with a large thud. Where they had been, a large frog with pointed ears and a green jerkin stood, grinning. "Karate boy," he said.

"Buff Frog!" Marco cried happily.

"And…" The green frog stood aside, and there, wearing dusty and beautiful armor, stood the queen herself.

"Marco! Griff!"

"Queen Moon!" they both cried.

She ran at them, cheeks glowing, and cut their chains off.

"Where's Star?" the queen demanded.

"She's gone!" Griff said.

"Ludo took her," Marco said. "We have to find her…"

"…before something awful happens!"

The Buff Frog spoke next: "What about the"—he gestured to the chained Mewmans—"arts-and-crafts friends?"

Marco glared at them. "The resistance will live on without me."

The resistance groaned and looked sad, but they were ignored. Buff Frog punched a hole in the wall and they made their escape through there. Buff Frog hoisted them up and began to jump from balcony to balcony. He almost missed one and had to hold on with one hand to avoid falling. "Star!" the queen called, pulling herself up. Marco and Griff followed closely behind.

Across the yard, on another balcony, stood Star and Ludo. "Hi, Mommy. Hi, Marco. Hi…uh…"

"Griff!" the squire called. "I'm Griff."

"Hi, Griff." A tiny green horse made of misted floated up next to the princess. She looked rueful. "I, uh... I'm sorry, you guys." The horse nickered and evaporated.

Moon was tearing up. "The... The Whispering Spell." She slammed her fists on the railing. "No! Star! You get... you get away! You run away from there!"

It's too late, Mom," Star said.

Ludo stood next to the princess. "So does this mean that everything's back to normal?"

"It's not over yet."

"What do you mean it's not—" A green light exploded on the balcony, lightning and crackling air almost blinded everyone. When the light faded, the tower was completely gone.

"No!"

"Star!"

"Buff Frog, we have to go now!" Buff Frog nodded and scooped them up once again, jumping down to the crater that had once been the tower. Moon shoved aside some of the rubble and pulling out Ludo's unconscious body, shaking it. "Ludo, where's Star?"

The green creature's eyes opened, and they were pink—no iris, no pupil, no nothing. Just pink.

"Where's my daughter?" Moon demanded.

When Ludo spoke, he talked with the princess's voice: "Mom! Mom, Mom! I'm in here!"

Griff flinched. _What magic is this?_

"Star, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me!"

The queen hugged Ludo tight. "Oh, thank goodness! Oh!" She kissed Ludo's face.

"Mom, stop it," the princess muttered, pushing at her face.

"Oh, Star! Where are you?"

"Well, I-I'm totally fine, but, uh, but, ah... I don't exactly know where I am."

"That's okay, sweetie. The important thing is, you're safe. Just stay right there. [starts breaking up] And no matter where you are, we'll find you. We just need to know where you are."

Ludo's eyes closed.

"Star, are you still there?" Moon asked, panic obvious.

Ludo's eyes were quiet for a long while, but when they opened, they were green, not pink. "Hello, Moon." This voice was different: deeper, and more confident. Almost friendly.

"Toffee," Moon said, and Marco and Buff Frog gasped. Griff knew who Toffee was. Father had told him all about the Lizard. He had killed Cosmos's grandmother, Queen Comet, before he was born.

The little green bird-thing began to float in midair.

"Give us back Star," Moon demanded.

Ludo/Toffee smiled. "Oh, of course. But I'd like something from you first. Something that belongs to me." He held out his hand—the one with the missing finger.

Queen Moon reached into her tunic and pulled out a glass jar with a cork in the top. "Take it," she said, holding it out for him.

"Poor little Butterfly," mused Toffee, "you've lost your wings. Now, Your Majesty, do we have a deal?"

Moon uncorked the jar and dumped the green finger in his open palm. When he closed his fist, the finger began to reattach itself. Ludo's eyes went dark; then his hand stuck out, and the skin on his finger began to cover the rest of himself, forming a sort of coating over Ludo's body, forming a skeleton, muscle, skin, clothing, until he now looked like a tall, handsome, suited lizard with dark, neat hair. He doubled over, vomiting out Ludo, covered in green slime, with a "Yeech."

Toffee straightened back up, held out his hand, and showed off the green stone in his hand.

"Where's my daughter? Moon demanded.

"Where'd Star?" asked Marco.

Toffee closed his fist, crushing the green gem into dust. "She's gone." Then he began walking away.

Marco, Buff Frog, and Griff gasped. Moon stood still as a statue, eyes filling with tears. Purple veins began to spread along her arms, and she began to run at Toffee. With a wail, she threw a punch, but Toffee knocked it aside. She threw another punch, and another, but Toffee caught both her hands with his. She wrenched her hands free and brought out the wand, pressing it to Toffee's chest, right where his heart was. "I call the darkness onto me," she began to recite, "from deepest depths of Earth and sea! From ancient evils unawoken, break the one who can't be broken! From blackest night I pledge my soul and crush my heart to burning coal! To summon forth the deadly power to see my hated foe devoured!"

They stood there in silence, Moon sobbing softly. Then Toffee grabbed her wrist and asked, "Are you finished?"

Marco, in response, punched a whole through his chest. Both Moon and Toffee looked surprised. Toffee threw Marco against a wall of debris, cracking the stone. Marco slumped to the ground, Buff Frog rushing over to him. Toffee grabbed Moon by the shoulders and shoved her back, forcing her legs into the ground until she was buried waist-high. He began to walk away again.

Something in Griff—no, _Cosmos's_ chest stirred, something dark and malicious, braying out for lizard blood. Before he could think about what he was doing, he had taken less than a dozen steps, wrenched the ugly bastard around by his shoulder, and punched him as hard as he could across the jaw.

Toffee staggered, then recovered, grabbing Griff by the neck. He hauled the struggling boy up, choking him. "You look familiar," he said. "Have we met?"

"Sod off," Griff said through choked breaths.

"Hmm. Oh, well." Toffee spun and threw the squire across the crater. He bounced one, twice, thrice, then came to a stop, hitting his head off of a rock.

When he came to, the queen was hunched over the wand, uselessly trying to fit the broken pieces back together. There were tears running down her cheeks, and Toffee was nowhere to be found. It was over. Star was dead. They had lost…

…at least until the ground began to shake and the wand started glowing. Taking to the air, a purple aura covered the wand, which began to repair itself slowly. A tear opened in reality, and a familiar figure stepped through, taking a hold of the wand with one hand. Star began to change; her skin was gold, her horns grew longer, she got more arms, and four large golden wings.

"Star!" Moon gasped, tears in her eyes.

"Hi, Mom!" Star said, voice distorted.

"Hi, sweetie. Don't you look lovely."

"Where's Toffee?"

Moon pointed. Star raised the wand and blasted Toffee with a large concentration of golden magic. The monster screamed and was left as a corpse of black goop and sinew, barely alive.

Star fell to the ground, her wings slowing her descent so she floated to the floor, facedown. She gasped and opened her eyes, breathing heavily.

"Star!" everyone said. They all tackled her with hugs. Griff supposed he looked strange, hugging a girl he barely knew, but he didn't care. His baby sister was alive. All was right with the world.

"Oh, my baby!" Moon said.

"Hi," Star said.

"Hi," said everyone.

There was a squishing sound, and Toffee raised his head, all black goop and two yellow eyes. "You think you've won? Ha! You don't make the plans! I do! Me! Only I know how this all turns out!" A tower crushed him.

"It turns out you're dead," Ludo said, grinning. "That's what you get! Hey! Look! Look what I did! All by myself!" He picked up Toffee's eyes and began squeezing it. "'Oh, no! I can't see a thing!' Ha-ha!"

"Do you think he's really gone?" Marco asked.

Buff Frog said, "Looks pretty gone to me."

"Can't get more gone than that!" Ludo said.

"Definitely gone," Griff said.

Marco turned to the princess. "Star, I've never seen you do a spell like that before."

"Yeah, I'm not sure what that was," she confessed.

Ludo cleared his throat. "Okay, princess. I think we can both agree that I've got some stuff to work on." He held out his pair of dimensional scissors.

"You want me to cut off the beard?"

"No! Throw me back in the void. I need... to find myself."

Star opened a portal. Ludo threw himself into her arms. "I'm ready," he said.

"Do you, uh, need a minute with them?"

The spider and eagle had appeared. Ludo began to tear up. "What, them? I'm sorry. I have intimacy issues. Try to move on."

"Okay. Well, here goes." Star tossed him in, summoned a bag of chips, and threw those in too. "Good luck."

Above, they could hear what sounded like a choir singing. "An army of eagles with he at the helm/Rescued the children and brought us all home." The clouds opened, and they saw King River sitting on a giant eagle, whooping. "Handsome and fearless, valiant and strong," the children sang, atop their own eagle, "Our dearest King River we praise him in song."

"Papa!" Star cried.

"Your Grace!"

The king landed, and Star and Griff rushed to embrace him. Marco came running over, saying, "That was amazing!"

The king laughed. "Ever since Ludo Levitato'd me, I've been living among the eagles. They made me their king, too! Where is Moon Pie?"

"I don't know," Star said. "She was just here."

The king waved a hand. "I'm sure she's alright. Now, what's say we head back to the castle, and have the _greatest party Mewni has ever seen_!"

The king hoisted Star and Griff onto his shoulders, and Buff Frog grabbed Marco. Star was laughing, and Griff was smiling despite himself.

 _This family is freaking crazy,_ he thought, _and I love it._

-o-

It was indeed, the greatest party Mewni had ever seen. The queen had returned, and all was right in the world. The resistance had been freed, and Griff could have sworn he saw Ruberiot and Foolduke heading toward one of the castle broom closets. The mime gave him a "no telling" gesture, and Griff gave her a "lips are sealed" sign.

There was dancing, music, food, fighting, drinking, and basically any form of chaotic revelry. Star and Marco were talking in one of the corners, and it seemed only right to leave them be.

"Griff!"

Turning, he saw Higgs running at him. She tackled him with a hug.

"Oh, you idiot!" she said, laughing. "I can't leave you alone for five minutes, can I?"

He laughed and hugged her. "I guess not."

"Oh, you're filthy. What happened?"

"Believe it or not, it actually…"

There was a loud banging sound. The music went quiet, and everyone stopped talking. The king was standing in front of the dais, banging on a cup with a fork.

"Attention, everyone," he called. "I'm sorry about the music, but before we continue, there is an urgent matter I must deal with." He leveled his gaze with his squire. "Griff, come here."

All eyes were on him as he walked through the heavy crowd and stood before the king. "Your Grace?"

"Before my brief usurpation," the king said, "my squire helped me overcome my own self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy." When people began to clap, he held up a hand. "However, he also struck me across the face with his hand. Right here," he said, pointing to his cheek. There were gasps from the crowd, and Griff felt something harden in his throat. _So much for forgiveness._

"You know the punishment, Griff," he said. "There's only one proper way to deal with this. Kneel."

Griff wanted to cry, but he knelt, head down, black hair blocking his face.

There was a light sigh as the king pulled a sword from its scabbard. _He's going to kill me,_ Griff realized. _I tried to help and he—he's going to kill me!_

"Stop!" Marco cried. "He was only trying to help!"

"That may be so," the king said, "but I can't let this go without giving my squire what he deserves."

"But—"

"No, Marco," Griff said, sniffling. "It's okay. Just, make it quick. Please…"

The king grunted. "Very well." He raised the sword…

…and tapped it thrice; once against Griff's right shoulder, then the left, then the right. The boy looked up, tears welling up.

"Griff of Squalor's Hook," the king said, voice carrying across the room, "you struck a royal family member, yes; but you also fought to keep me safe, helped me get over my own faults, staged a resistance against a would-be conqueror, and bested a Dragonfly pretender in defense of this kingdom. There is nobody more deserving that you for this. I name you Sir Griff, and rasie you to knighthood."

This time the king could not stop the cheers. Higgs was crying, though she was fighting to stop it. Marco was whooping, and Star was clapping and whooping.

"Rise, sir," King River said, holding out a hand. Griff took it gratefully. "For you," he said, holding out the sword. When Griff took it, a long orange flame flickered down the blade.

"BRIGHTFLAME! BRIGHTFLAME! BRIGHTFLAME!" everyone cried. The steel was cool; Griff could hardly feel the flames.

"Enchanted with magic fire," Queen Moon said when the cheering died down. "Wouldn't want you burning yourself, would we?" She winked and said, "It was my idea."

"T-Thank you, Your Grace."

The king cleared his throat. "Yes, well, now that that's out of the way, I think it's time I give you your first knightly task."

Griff knelt and laid the sword at the king's feet. When his hand left it, the flame went out. _I'll call it Brightflame,_ he thought giddily. _What better name for my sword?_

"I, King River Butterfly, charge you, Sir Griff, to act as my daughter, Princess Star Butterfly's sworn shield. You will accompany her wherever she goes, keep her safe, and protect her at all costs, from this day, until she comes of age."

"Thank you, Your—wait, what?"

* * *

A/N: Okay everyone, what'd you think? A lot happened this chapter, so let me know what you thought either in a review or a PM. Follow if you want to be alerted to when I update, and favorite to show me you enjoy the story so far. Before I go, I have a question I ask you.

Should Cosmos become romantically involved with anyone?

Since he'll be journeying to Earth with Star and meeting a lot of lovely ladies, should he get with any of them or should he remain a bachelor? I only ask because every king needs a queen, and I want to be able to write a convincing courtship over the course of Cosmos's time on Earth or on Mewni. Let me know in either a review or a PM, and I'll pick the most popular one.

Bye!


	11. Chapter 11

Trickster3696: When is Cosmos gonna drop the bomb?

Somewhere around the chapter 20-25 mark. I want him to build a relationship with the main crew before he unveils himself.

A/N: Okay everyone, before we get going I just want to answer a few concerns that have been brought up in light of the last chapter. A few people seem to think that since Griff is Star's sworn shield, Marco won't become her squire. That isn't true. I plan on having the story of Season Three be basically the same, except that Griff (Cosmos) is there, and we're seeing the story from his perspective.

So, let me explain how this is going to work. A sworn shield is a bodyguard, simple as that. Unlike most guards, who are charged with protecting the _entire_ royal family, Griff will be protecting _just Star_. Marco will still be her squire, since knights/princesses can have more than one squire.

That aside, welcome to "Season 2" of A Dance with Destiny. A few people have been concerned about me copy/pasting episodes of the show in with Griff there, but that isn't true. I might have a few key episodes be chapters, but only if they have a significant role in the story. Other than that, most of this "season" will be what happens in off-screen of the show.

Okay, long-ass note aside, let's get started.

* * *

 **A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Eleven: Hide and Seek**

"I don't need a babysitter."

The king and queen exchanged a quick glance. Griff shuffled from one foot to the other, uneasy. It had been only a day since his elevation to knighthood, and the king had insisted that he look the part; which was why, that morning, he had come to Griff with a large box.

"Open it," he said giddily.

"What is it?" Griff had asked.

"Just open it."

So Griff did so. Inside, he found an entire outfit for him. _Armor,_ he realized. _He's given me armor._

"Try it on," the king said, smiling. "Here, let me help you."

Black boiled leather over his normal clothes; steel boots and greaves to protect his lower regions; gauntlets over his forearms and black leather gloves over his hands; a cuirass of gunmetal gray to protect his chest and a gorget to shield his neck; finally, a rounded helmet to deflect blows to the head.

He looked every bit the knight that he now was.*

"I have one more thing for you," said King River. He snapped his fingers and a squire walked it with a folded piece of white cloth. When Griff unfolded it, he found it was a cloak.

"Here," the king said, picking it up and setting it around Griff's shoulders, attached by two clasps in the shape of butterflies.

Griff put Brightflame on his hip, then asked for a second sword to put on the other hip. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled.

"I don't need a babysitter," the princess said again, arms crossed.

"We know that, Star," Queen Moon said, straight-faced.

"Then why is he here?" She pointed a finger at Griff, adorned in his new armor, helmet under his arm.

"Because after everything that's happened lately, you need more protection."

"No, I don't! I have a magic wand, and Marco, and kick-butt karate moves!" She took an offensive stance. "I can handle myself."

"Pumpkin, please," King River said. "You can never afford to have too much protection."

"But I don't even _know_ him. Why can't someone like, I don't know, Marco keep me safe?"

"Because Marco isn't a knight," Queen Moon said.

"Then make him a knight!" the princess said.

"We can't just do that, Star."

"You did with Gerth."

"My name is Griff," Griff said.

"Hey," Star snapped, "I didn't ask you."

"Star, that is enough!" Queen Moon said harshly. "Griff here has been training under your father for months, he's proven himself a loyal friend to the Butterfly family, and he'll be less likely to let you get into trouble. Face it, sweetie, after everything that's happened with Ludo and Toffee and goodness knows what else, you need to accept the fact that you can't look after yourself all the time." Her tone turned soft and she put a hand under Star's chin. "Just until you're old enough to take care of yourself, I promise."

Star let out a sigh. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

Moon cracked a smile. "No, I'm afraid you don't."

Star sighed and shot Griff a look of absolute loathing. "Fine. But don't think I'm gonna like it." She stalked off without another word, Marco following after her after shooting Griff an apologetic look.

Griff sighed. "This isn't gonna be easy, is it?"

The king put an arm around his shoulders. "You'll do fine, my boy. After keeping up with me for so long, you'll be fine!"

-o-

Griff was _not_ fine.

The princess had spent the last three days giving him the slip, aided by Marco (though in his defense, he seemed to be an unwilling participant). Griff's armor slowed him down, and the princess was more agile than she let on; able to leap and run at greater speeds than he thought possible, she was quite the challenge.

Sighing, Griff slid onto one of the benches that lined the Great Hall. A plate of roasted goat and corn was in front of him, and a tall mug of water as well. He had just swallowed a piece of meat when somebody else slid into place next to him.

"Hey."

"Hello, Marco."

The human nudged him softly. "Listen, I'm sorry about Star. She's not…"

"…happy about me?"

Marco laughed. "You could say that again."

Griff shrugged. "I get why she isn't happy; but, still, can't she cut me some slack? I didn't exactly _ask_ to get put on babysitting duty."

"I know that."

"Does she?"

Marco was quiet. "I don't know. Listen, Griff, I know Star isn't the easiest person to get used to, but, I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"Me too."

-o-

"This isn't a choice, Princess," Griff said. He had managed to corner Star and Marco in one of the many side hallways. Sconces for torches lined the walls, and a large portrait of some distant queen took up a good portion of the hall.

"Buzz off, Gerth," Star said, "I'm warning you." She held up her wand.

Griff looked to Marco, just behind Star. He gave a helpless shrug. Then Griff looked to one of the wall sconces. _I know this place…_

Sighing, he pulled off his sword belt. "Very well, Princess." He threw it onto the ground.

Star looked surprised. She lowered her wand slightly. "Wait, really?"

"Yes," Griff said, defeated. He unfastened his cloak and pulled off his helmet. He threw both on top of his belt. "It's clear that you don't want me around, and it would be rude for me to encroach on a lady's hospitality."

Star, still looking surprised, stood up straight and nodded. "Good. Yes. Go away. Please," she added.

Sighing, Griff walked over to one of the wall sconces and gave it a hard pull. A portion of the wall slid sideways, revealing a small stone staircase that led down. "See you around, Princess."

Just as he stepped into the doorway Star grabbed his arm. "How did you do that and teach it to me now," she said, eyes wide and starry.

Griff put a hand up. "I can't, Princess. You asked me to leave you alone."

The princess looked affronted. "But—wha—come on!" She interlocked her hands and pouted. "Pleeeeeeeeease?"

Griff thought about it for a minute. "I suppose…"

"YES!"

"…but only if you promise not to run off."

"I promise! I promise!" She grabbed his arm. "Let's go."

He laughed. "You coming, Marco?"

Marco was smiling. "I'm coming, I'm coming."

Once they were all safely inside the tunnel the door slid shut. "How'd you know this was here?" Star asked, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

Griff laughed. "A few months ago, your father showed me a secret entrance hidden in the library. After that I decided to do some poking around." They came upon a fork in the road. "Gimme a sec…That way," he said, pointing to the second doorway on the right. "The other ones lead deeper into the castle."

"Where are we going?" Star asked.

"A secret place I found. Anyway, I found this old book in the 'Antique' section of the library. After the first Cosmos and Star Butterfly died the construction of the castle fell to their daughter, Artemis. Apparently she was obsessed with monster attacks so she ordered the construction of secret tunnels be built into the walls and floors of the castle." They descended down some stairs. "Most of them are connected, but when Artemis died it fell to Queen Selene to finish the whole thing, and she was more paranoid than her mother. She ordered an entire maze be built to each tunnel; hoped to confuse anyone who tried to invade, I think. There are supposed to be miles of tunnels, but I've only found a handful. Most of the old construction manuscripts were destroyed or corroded by age, so it's been mostly trial-and-error for me."

They came upon a pit of spiked stone. Griff jumped first, then Star, then Marco. Marco's left foot slipped, but Star and Griff caught him. "Thanks," he said, nervous. "So, how'd you have the time to do all this? Aren't you supposed to be the king's squire?"

Griff threw a nod over his shoulder. "You'd think that'd mean much, but aside from attending him during feasts, monster hunts, and training sessions, the king let me have most of the day to myself. Normally I'd spend it with—hold on." The tunnel ahead split into two staircases—one going up, one going down. "Hmm…down," he decided.

"Hey, Griff," Marco said, "you know where you're going, right?"

Griff shrugged. "Mostly."

" _Mostly?"_

"Relax, Marco," said Princess Star, smiling. "Where's your sense of adventure?"

Marco grumbled to himself, embarrassed. "So what were you saying?" he said after a minute.

"Hmm? Oh! I was saying I'd usually spend my time with the other squires, but when they were busy with their knights I'd explore the castle, see what I could find."

"And what did you find?" Star asked.

Griff gave her a smirk that matched her own. "We're almost there."

Another five minutes passed before Griff held a hand up. "Here we are." A skull had been engraved in the wall at waist-height. Griff knelt down and pushed his middle and forefinger into the eye sockets. A small mechanism caught on his fingers; Griff pulled down, then forward, then released. The skull split in two as the wall slid apart.

The sun was nearly blinding when they stepped out, but when their eyes adjusted they beheld a beautiful garden. Nearly twice the size of the palace gardens, this haven sported lilac bushes, roses, tulips, nightshades, apple trees, grapes, stone benches, and a large statue carved to resemble a woman holding a long cane, her lips tugging upward in a smile.

"The garden of Princess Twilight," Griff explained. "Built by Queen Twilight I in honor of her grandmother, Queen Galacta."

"I know her," Star said, coming up to stand in front of the statue. "She was called 'the Good Queen,' right?"

Griff nodded. "Best queen Mewni ever had, if you'd believe the historians."

"Why is that?" Marco asked.

"She ruled for over eighty years," Griff explained. "She helped forge the alliance between the Lucitors of the Underworld and the Butterflys of the Butterfly Kingdom. She also gave protective rights to the peasants and decreased taxes exponentially. She died in her sleep at the age of eighty-six."

"Wait, then she became queen—"

"—when she was five, yes. Her father was King Comet I."

Star frowned. "That dude was crazy. He tried to invade the Underworld for no reason."

"Wait," Marco said, "really?"

Star nodded. "He was killed before he reached the Underworld, however. Mom and Dad say most of the Butterfly kings were evil, but…" She sighed. "They can't _all_ be bad, right? I mean, there must be at least _one_ good one out there."

 _There is one good one, sister,_ Griff thought. _He stands before you._

Star shook her head and smiled. "Anyway, thanks for taking us out here, Griff."

"It's Gri—oh. Heh, you got it right."

She shrugged. "Yeah, well…"

"I could show you more tunnels, if you'd like."

Her face lit up. "Really?"

He smiled. " _If_ you promise not to run away anymore."

"I promise! I promise!"

He stuck out a hand. "You've got yourself a deal, Princess."

She took it, giving it a shake. "Call me Star."

-o-

The moon was full and shining bright, the stars twinkling as the cosmos stretched onward and onward in the sky. Griff was walking through the castle garden, humming softly to himself. The princess had retired several hours earlier, her human friend with her. The king and queen were asleep as well, so Griff was left alone, unable to fall into the embrace of slumber. His armor and cloak had been left in his room—not the broom closet, no. Now he had a fully furnished room all to himself, with a bed and a dresser and a bathroom and a closet—an _actual_ closet. He'd almost fainted when he saw it.

Shaking his head, the young knight brought himself back to the present. It had been a very trying day, and he hoped that the princess would lighten to him with time.

 _She'll come around,_ he thought to himself. _I know she will._

Coming to a stop, he bent down and sniffed at a recently bloomed rose. Sighing to himself, he rose (no pun intended) back to his feet.

"They're lovely, aren't they?"

Griff let out a stifled shriek and whirled around to face the voice. A woman with teal hair and a purple dress was standing a few feet in front of him, holding her hand over her mouth to stifle the giggles she was inflicted with.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said through tiny laughs.

Griff cleared his throat. "It's fine. I just wasn't expecting company." He squinted. "You look awfully familiar. Have we met?"

"Oh, no," the woman said. "Maybe I just have that kind of face. What's your name, dear?"

"Griff."

She gave him a strange look. "No, it's not."

"Excuse me?"

"Your name isn't Griff." She walked up to him, arms on her hips. "Why are you lying? And why have you dyed your hair?" She gasped. "Is it for a girl? I bet it's for a girl. I know what you Butterfly boys are like."

Griff felt something hard form in the back of his throat. "I don't know what you're talking about, madam."

"No? Strange; I could have sworn I was talking to a Cosmos Butterfly, but maybe I was wrong."

Griff grabbed her arm and flipped her over his shoulder. Then he placed his knee on her stomach and put a hand over her mouth.

"How do you know that?" He felt something warm and wet wiggle against his palm and he scrambled back with a scoff of disgust. "Did you just _lick me_?"

"Well, how else was I supposed to get you off of me?" she said, getting to her feet. "Now, why are you—Oh. Oh, dear. You're the eldest sibling, aren't you?"

Defeated, Griff nodded.

"I see. How is it you—oh, a monster family took you in, bless them."

 _This is it,_ he thought, panic rising in his chest. _She's going to turn me over to the queen and I'll—_

"No, I won't."

Griff looked up, confused. "Excuse me?"

"I have no intention of turning you in, young man."

"How did you—"

"—know?" She smiled. "Well, before I was sealed away, I learned how to read minds. I call it legilimency. Comes in handy when ruling a kingdom or dealing with cheating boyfriends."

"Ruling a kingdom?" he said aloud. "Why are—"

"A former queen of Mewni," the woman said. She stuck out her hand. "Though you can call me Eclipsa."

"The Queen of Darkness?"

Eclipsa rolled her eyes. "Of course they'd call me that…Anyway, I'm surprised you're here, in the castle. If I were you I'd have just stayed in my cottage."

"I can't," Griff said, taking her hand and pulling himself to his feet. "There are things coming, deadly things."

"The old ones," she said. "Hmm. In my day they were just a children's story, but then again, my day was over three hundred years ago. How do you plan to stop them?"

"I…haven't figured that out yet," he confessed, "but I'm working on that. The king said he's got his best archivists researching them."

Eclipsa scrunched her nose. "They won't find anything. I'm sure by now the High Commission has removed their records. But, that's a problem for another day. For now, I'd worry about your hair and cheeks."

"What do you mean?"

"That makeup wont last forever, dear. If you get caught in the rain or even sweat too much it'll begin to run; not to mention it begins to dry after a while. Someone's bound to catch on at some point."

Griff looked down. It was true, of course; thus far he'd been taking his weekly bath alone in a shallow brook just outside the city walls, but doing so always took at least three hours and the others would surely question him taking such an arduous route just to wash himself.

The former queen put a hand under his chin. "Now, now, don't look so down. I've got just the thing to help." She reached into one of her sleeves and pulled out a chain of black links. In the center was a blood-red ruby the size of an eyeball.

"What is it?" Griff asked, astonished.

"I call it a glamor charm; completely masks your appearance so long as it remains around your neck. Here." She slipped it on him, tight enough to dig slightly into his skin. _I will have to get used to this,_ he thought.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Oh, please, call me Eclipsa, dear."

"Why are you doing this?" he asked suddenly. "Why help me?"

She gave a small smile. "Because, Cosmos, I do love a good dance with destiny."

* * *

* His armor looks a lot like Ser Arthur Dayne's armor from Game of Thrones, minus the dragon insignia on the chest.

A/N: Attention everyone! I've created a poll on my main page for you guys to decide who Cosmos ends up with. I'll keep it open for a while, so if you suddenly want a future character who has yet to appear to get with Griff, you can vote on them. If you have an OC you'd like to see him with, let me know in a review and I'll do my best to work them into the story, provided you give me a backstory and description.

Anyway, reviews keep me inspired, so don't be afraid to leave one.

"Bye!"


	12. Chapter 12

**A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Twelve: Journey Away**

"How far have we come since the spinning blade chamber?" Marco asked, glancing down at the long parchment in his hands. In the week since first showing Star and Marco the secret tunnel, the three of them had been exploring from dawn till dusk, and had begun to keep track of the tunnels with a map after they took a wrong turn and spent half the night walking through twists and turns.

Griff pressed his lips together. "Twenty steps, I think." He was dressed in a simple white tunic and black breeches; his armor was big and cumbersome and would only slow him down in these skinny tunnels. His new-made necklace was cold against his skin, hidden beneath his tunic.

"I thought it was thirty," Star said, running a hand along the stone wall. Her wand was held in her other hand, glowing with white light.

Griff could almost hear Marco's brow furrowing. "I'll just average them; twenty-five steps, then."

"Hey, guys," Star said, rubbing the wall. "I think I feel—WAH!" The wall opened and the princess fell forward, landing on the ground with an "Oof."

"Star!" both Marco and Griff said, rushing to help the princess up.

"Ow." Star rubbed her head. "Okay, ow. Where are—oh." The throne room of the Butterfly castle laid out before them: great stained-glass windows, ancient tapestries, beautiful elaborate chandeliers, and the throne of Mewni.

"Cool," Star said, pulling herself to her feet.

"…someone to see what has happened," came a voice. "The Archimedeans have always been good friends of ours, so if something has befallen their daughter, we must help them." Just then Queen Moon entered, surrounded by a few of her chief advisors. Griff, Star, and Marco stepped out from behind the throne. When the queen saw them, she jumped. "Ah! Oh, Star, it's just you. What are you three doing here?"

"Just came to see how you're doing, Mama," Star said, smiling.

The queen raised an eyebrow. "Is that right? Griff, is that right?"

"Of course, Your Grace. Why would Princess Star lie?"

The queen thinned her lips, then smiled. "Well, as long as you aren't causing too much trouble, it shouldn't be my concern." She clapped her hands together. "It's actually good that I found you. Do you remember Princess Andromeda?"

Star looked confused. "Uh, from the Anchovy Kingdom?"

" _Archimedean,_ " the queen corrected.

"Um…I think so. We used to play together, right?"

"Yes. I was good friends with her mother. Unfortunately, her parents passed away rather recently, and we've had no word from Princess Andromeda since."

"So? Is that a big deal."

"Yes, because _no one_ has heard from Princess Andromeda since her parents passed."

"Okay, that is weird, but what can I do?"

"Well, I was thinking that you could take a few knights and see if everything is alright over there. It would certainly put me at ease."

Star raised an eyebrow. "And what's in it for me?"

"Well, wouldn't it be nice to see Princess Andromeda again?" When Star didn't react, the queen sighed and said, "Backstage passes to that Love Sentence band you like."

Star squealed and hugged the queen. "Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyouthankou!"

The queen laughed. "Yes, dear, you're welcome."

"When do we leave?"

"Funny you should ask. Almost everything's ready. You leave first thing tomorrow morning."

-o-

The procession was all ready. The princess would be riding on a white mare in a blue-gold dress with a tiara on her head. The princess had refused at first, but the queen argued that since it was a diplomatic mission, she couldn't be seen in "punk clothes fit for a rebel-rouser." Marco would be there too, though he could wear his hoodie, as it was a traditional garb for his kind. Griff would be riding on a white horse in armor and cloak; his horse would also be armored, as would the other horses as well. A dozen other knights and their squires (Higgs, Baby Man, and Old Guy included) would be joining them too.

The king and queen would be staying behind, though they wished their daughter the best. It was midday when the royal procession left through a dimensional portal opened by Manfred. They raced through, three knights ahead, six on each side—Griff was with them, as were the princess and her hoo-man friend. Three other knights brought up the rear. The Butterfly standard would be held by three of their party, as well as a white truce flag.

The portal let them out a mile outside the giant walled city. The surrounding land was made of farmland and bogs for growing food like cherries and cranberries. Old shepherds and naked children watched them go by with sunken eyes. _They are thin,_ Griff saw, concerned. _Maybe there is a famine._

"Princess," he said, trotting up beside Star, "what can you tell of this Andromeda princess?"

The princess shrugged. "First off—I told you to call me Star, not 'princess,' remember?"

"Of course, Your Grace."

She rolled her eyes, smirking. Then her face straightened. "Not much. We used to play together when we were younger, but I haven't seen her much since then."

"That's it?" Marco asked. "Nothing else?"

"Well, she was always really friendly, if that's anything."

"It really isn't."

Star shrugged. "Then I guess we're going in blind."

Griff grunted. _I guess we are._

As they were within spitting-range of the city, the gate opened and a party displaying the Morgana sigil—a fairy on a green field—rode out to meet them. There was at least two dozen guards, as well as a man in fine silk robes at their head.

"My lady," he said, bowing, "I am Mathas Bowler, steward for Prince Vaerys's court."

Griff's brows furrowed. "Where is Princess Andromeda?"

The man gave him a curious look. "I am sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know you, sir."

"This is Sir Griff," said the princess, "my sworn shield. And he speaks true; we do not see Princess Andromeda."

"The princess is at the castle. She has sent me to deliver you to her as welcomed guests. Come, follow me." The man turned his horse and trotted back into the city, the princess following closely behind. The steward's men surrounded Princess Star's men, effectively blocking any form of escape.

 _This could turn out poorly if something should go amiss._

"The princess will be most happy to see you, my lady," said the steward. "The loss of her parents has rocked her to the core, and she hardly leaves her tower for anything. It has fallen to her uncle to manage to daily troubles of our meager kingdom."

"She has no brothers or sisters?"

The steward shook his head. "Alas, King Minos and Queen Niobe were rather unfortunate in that regard. The queen proved to be rather sickly, so whatever babes were borne to her died shortly after their first birthday. Such is the way of things."

Peasants were beginning to stop and stare at them now. They were sickly thin, almost skin and bones. A few naked children watched them go by with wide eyes. An old man clutched a rock in one hand, the size of a grapefruit.

"Why are these people so small?" Griff called.

The steward nary glanced at him before answering. "Our crops have been failing, sir. Whatever grain and vegetables have grown have been given to the castle for the nobles. We are all ailing as well."

 _You are not, though._ The steward's belly jiggled with each step of their horses, and a satin belt kept it from sagging to his legs. _Something isn't right._

"Bread!" one of the peasants called.

"Corn!" cried another.

"Please, we're hungry!"

"Food!"

"Help us!"

The guards were shouting for the crowd to disperse, but his voice was nearly drowned out by the shouting. Griff saw the naked children running down the street, eyes wide.

"Protect your princess," Griff said to the other knights in attendance.

"What's happening?" Higgs asked, from somewhere in the rear.

"I don't know, but keep the princess safe at all costs." He turned to the blonde girl. "Princess Star, stay close to me."

For once the princess didn't correct him about using her name; she nodded and subtly pulled out her wand.

"Marco, you stay with her too, just in case." He turned to his knights. "Do not give the crowd cause to attack, keep your eyes forward and keep moving. The sooner we get to the castle, the better."

He could see it up ahead, high brown walls and towers that overlooked the entire city. The portcullis was down, though he could see a man-at-arms standing at the top of the gate next to a winch.

"Make way," called one of the soldiers ahead of them, "make way for the royal steward and the Butterfly princess."

Griff craned his neck. Up ahead a woman was holding a baby out in front of her. _Is she offering it to us?_ Then Griff saw that the babe was small and thin, and pale as milk. _It is dead,_ he realized with sudden horror. The woman had stringy brown hair and her eyes were deep and hollow.

"Move this rabble out of our way," the steward commanded.

"Perhaps it would be best to—"

"With all due respect, Sir Griff, this is not your city." He reached into the saddlebag and pulled out a long black whip. "This will move those—"

The steward's head suddenly lurched sideways, a gout of red liquid pouring from a spot just above his ear as the large rock collided with skull with a sick _crack._ The horse whined and lurched sideways, eyes rolling in terror.

And suddenly the crowd was roaring and screaming all around them. They were throwing things: rocks, sticks, mud, soiled food like onions and apples. The guards drew their swords and axes, but the crowd outnumbered them ten to one. The steward fell from his horse, hitting the stone floor head first.

"Protect the steward!" one of the guards surrounding Griff said. Then suddenly the guards on Griff's right side were gone, and the crowd surged in.

At once Brightflame was in his hand, flames yellow and orange in the sunlight. His horse whined, but Griff tugged hard on the reigns and the beast calmed down. When one peasant reached for his leg, Griff took of his arm at the elbow. The smell of burned flesh filled the air, and a few of the peasants fled.

 _A knight protects the innocent,_ a voice said. When one peasant approached the princess, Griff took his head off. _A knight protects his princess,_ he told the voice. _A brother protects his sister._

"Ruby-red-rashes!" Star shouted, wand in hand. A white light blasted off the wand, and suddenly peasants all around them were doubling over, scratching at large red welts that popped up along their skin.

"Hi-ya!" Marco said, kicking one of the peasants away.

"To the castle!" Griff shouted.

"But the steward!" one of the soldiers asked. They had formed a circle around the fat steward as one of their own attempted to push him back onto his mount. So far, between the rioting mob and the scared horse's whickering, they were not having much luck.

Men screamed as they were pulled from their horses and torn apart in their armor or beaten to death with rocks and fists. Griff saw four men dragging a naked woman behind a market stall as she wept, screaming shrilly. _Gods help us._

"Buggar your steward," Griff said. "I'll not see my men killed for your monarch's folly." He turned to the knights. "Keep moving. Get to the castle as quickly as you can. Protect the princess." He reached over and pulled the girl from her mount and placed her behind him in the saddle. "Keep that wand warm, princess, we're not out of this yet."

"My wand's always warm."

"Move! Move! Move!"

Together they pushed their way through the mob of peasants, cutting down anyone who got in their way. Brightflame was a whirl of death, slashing this way and that while the princess called out spell after spell and Marco kept the peasants away from them with their bare hands. More of Mathas's men were joining them, preferring to save their own lives than die for a steward.

"OPEN THE GATES!" someone above shouted. The portcullis was raised quickly, and the party charged through. When everyone was through the gate was sealed, and the screaming of the crowd became faint whispers behind the city wall.

Griff swung down from his horse quickly. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Sir Maxxy got mud in his eye and both Sir Sheffied and Sir Gwayne lost their swords, but other than that I think everyone's alright," Higgs said, pulling Sir Stabby's horse.

"And you, Higgs? How are you?"

She offered him a smile. "I'm fine, Griffy. Make sure Princess Star is okay."

The princess was sitting on the ground, her friend next to her. "Princess," Griff said, kneeling, "are you alright?"

She smiled and held out an arm. "My dress got ripped." Griff removed his cloak and draped it over the princess's shoulders. "Thanks."

"And you, Marco?"

The hoo-man shrugged. "I'm fine. Takes more than a few angry peasants to take me down."

Griff sighed. "That's good. Now let us see—"

" _WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!"_ someone shouted. A tall man with lanky arms and long dry brown hair came walking toward them in elaborate golden robes.

Princess Star stood up. "My name is—"

"I don't give a hoot what your name is, harlot, what I want to know—"

"You will watch your tone, my lord," said Griff, hand on his sword belt. "You are addressing Princess Star Butterfly of the Butterfly Kingdom, and you will speak to her with the respect she is due."

The lord's eyes were fiery, but he seemed to control it. "My apologies," he said, voice as smooth as honey. "These are trying times, and I acted rashly." He bowed. "Princess Star, you honor us with your presence. Now, tell me, where is my steward."

"He's dead, m'lord," one of the soldiers said. "I saw him fall and get ripped apart by the mob."

The lord's mouth tightened. "I see. That is most unfortunate. If you will excuse me, my lady, I must see that this riot is quelled before anything worse happens."

"Wait," Star said, "we're here to see Princess Andromeda. Where is—"

"My niece is preoccupied at the moment, my lady. Perhaps you should wait for an audience later and see if she is feeling better." With that, the lord turned on his heel and beat a quick escape.

"Well…what do we do now?" Marco asked.

"We find out where Princess Andromeda is."

"But he said—"

"I do not trust this Prince Vaerys. Your parents mentioned the Archimedean Kingdom being lush and fruitful, yet as soon as the monarchs die their daughter is hidden away and the food suddenly disappears? I do not trust this, my princess."

"Then what do we do?" Marco asked.

Griff whistled loudly and called all the knights over to him. "There is something very wrong here. Lyonel, Massy, I want you two to stay with the princess at all times, no matter what. Jyce, I want you to keep an eye on Prince Vaerys. Keep track of where he goes, what he does, who he speaks to, but keep far enough away that he does not become suspicious. The rest of you, I want you to ask around the castle about the deaths of the king and queen, and how their daughter fares. Instruct your squires to do the same. Ask everyone—guards, stewards, kitchen girls, serving wenches, stable boys; everyone who makes their living in the castle. But draw no attention to us. The last thing we need is open hostility. Is that clear."

"Yes, sir," echoed everyone.

"Good. We'll get to the bottom of this, one way or another."

* * *

A/N: Please leave a review telling me what you thought, and Part 2 of this little arc will be out shortly.

Bye!


	13. Chapter 13

**A Dance with Destiny**

 **Chapter Thirteen: Investigation**

"Sir! Sir Griff!"

Turning, Griff saw a large man with a thick beard and wide arms approaching. He was dressed in breeches and an apron, his broad chest visible. A smith, from the look of it. Two heads talker than Griff, the man looked like he could have torn a man's head off his shoulders.

"I am Pate," said the smith.

Griff took his hand and shook it. "Well met, sir. Forgive me, I know you not."

The big smith laughed, a rumbling sound from the bottom of his toes. "I did not expect you to. You would know my nephew, though. Prince Timmy of Helhold."

Griff blinked. _"Prince_? I was not aware Timmy was a prince. And I thought he was from Grenendale."

"That's where he was born, aye, and he is not a prince by blood. He was married to the Princess of Helhold; his father is good friends with the king, and they wished to be closer than friends, so their heirs were married in a ceremony last month. Soon he will be _King_ Timmy."

Griff smiled. "Then I pity Helhold."

The smith laughed again. "Indeed. My nephew is a good lad, but young. He will need a strong advisor if he is to rule justly."

"Should he ever need aid, write me a letter. I am sure I can convince Queen Moon to lend aid."

"That I will, my lord." The smith's smile faded. "I am told you are looking in on the princess."

"Indeed I am. Have you seen her?"

"Regretfully, no. I supply the men with armor and sword, and show them squires how to handle 'em right. No princess ever came to me for nothing."

"I am sure my princess will. Star is rather fond of weapons, if I know her, and I believe I do. I shall be sure to recommend you to her before we leave." _If we leave._

"You do me a kindness, my lord. Let me repay you." He leaned in close. "My wife is a kitchen wench, and she says that the prince asked to sup with the king and queen alone on the day they died. It weren't no ordinary death, either. They we're 'ealthy as oxes, them. The king would often come down and try his knights. Beat them three on one, most often. The queen was healthy, too. Both had another…oh, forty or fifty years left."

Griff chewed on that. _Something is definitely not wrong._ "Thank you, good sir. Should you write your nephew, tell him I am most cross I was not invited to his wedding."

The smith laughed. "That I will, my lord. I hope you find out what's going on. Princess Andromeda's a sweet girl, she don't deserve this."

"No," Griff muttered as he walked back into the castle, "she does not."

-o-

"Here you are, Your Grace. Some of this will fix that headache, and have your breath smelling like bubblegum, too."

"I love bubblegum!" the princess exclaimed, slipping the vial of pink liquid into her pocket. The doctor's office was small, with a stone slab for an operating table, a desk covered with papers, and one wall was filled with instruments.

"Doc," Marco said. "Have you seen Princess Andromeda recently?"

The doctor's blue eyes fell. "Alas, no. The prince insisted that she be allowed her solitude, but I fear for her. Grief can drive women mad, it is often said. I have even believed the girl would harm herself, but the prince insists that one of his Kingsguard stay with her at all times."

"Wait," Star said. "They're _inside_ the room with her? That's so creepy!"

"Oh, no, child! The Kingsguard would never hurt a sweet child like Andromeda. They are holy knights, after all!"

"Are you certain Princess Andromeda has not been allowed any medical attention?" asked Griff.

"No, sir, although…the prince _did_ ask me for dreamwine."

"Dreamwine?" Marco asked.

"A substance that makes one tired, so they are able to sleep."

"Oh, like sleepy syrup."

"I do not know what that is."

"Never mind, then."

"How often has the prince been asking for dreamwine?" asked Griff.

"Oh, once or twice a week for the last few months, sir. His back makes it difficult to sleep sometimes."

 _His plot is keeping him up, not his back._ "Thank you, Doctor Theseus. We must be going, however."

"Would the good patient like a lollipop?" The doctor held out a glass jar to the princess. She shrieked and took out a lollipop, unwrapped it, and shoved it into her mouth. "Thank you!"

"This is bad," Griff muttered.

"I know," Star said. "I got pineapple."

"Who makes pineapple lollipops?" Marco asked.

"I know, right!"

"No," Griff said, massaging his temples. "The prince asked for dreamwine."

"So? A dose here and there isn't so bad."

"Yes, but heavy doses can be fatal, and if he was stockpiling it…"

Star's eyes widened, and she dropped her lollipop. "…then he could have poisoned his brother and sister-in-law…"

"…when they had their private dinner together," Griff finished. "This is very bad."

"Woah, woah, woah," Marco said. "Look, Vaerys might seem like a jerk, but why would anyone want to kill their own family?"

"Greed," Griff said. "It can lead many to do bad things." There were still a few things missing. "Marco, do not let Star out of your sight."

"Okay!"

"Woah, hold on, time out," Star said. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Yes, you do." Griff put his hands on her shoulders. "Star, please, listen to me. We are surrounded by enemies, and if something bad should happen while we are here, you would make a prime hostage. So please, listen to what I say. We are not safe. Until this is mystery is solved, it will not serve for you to be wandering around the castle by yourself. I want you accompanied by at least one guard at all times."

"But what about you? You're my sworn shield."

"I know, but there are a few things I need to do first. Please, do not do anything stupid."

She swallowed. "I'll try."

Griff gave her a smile. "Good. Be careful. With any luck, this will all be over very soon."

-o-

"What's up?"

Higgs and her knight had called Griff to one of the hidden courtyards, where no one would disturb them. Several of Princess Star's other knights stood guard at the entrance, spears crossed over the small archway that served as a door. The rest of the knights were with the princess and her friend.

"We spoke with some of the guards," said Sir Stabby, adjusting his helm. "They said that since the king and queen's passing, the regent dismissed all of the Kingsguard."

That was strange; the Kingsguard were sworn to serve for life, and it was incredibly rare—almost unheard of—for them to be dismissed. "Was there a reason?"

"He claimed their inability to protect the king and queen meant they were not worthy to protect the royal princess. The men he replaced them with are fat, unskilled, and corrupt. They are often seen corroborating with harlots and brigands. Up-jumped sellswords, that's all they are."

"Then they are twice as dangerous. They lack honor, and will not fail to use underhanded tactics to achieve victory."

"But…" Higgs said. "You won't need to fight them, will you?"

"Hush, squire," said the knight. "Sir Griff is speaking."

Griff held up a hand. "It's alright, Sir. Yes, Higgs, I fear they will need to be dealt with." He put a hand on Sir Stabby's shoulder. "Our next move must be bold. I have a task for you—will you do it?" The pieces were beginning to fall into place; only one remained now, and that one would be harder to uncover than all the others.

Sir Stabby straightened. "I shall, on my honor as a knight, you have my word."

"Tell the men outside to gather in the throne room. Then, I want you to find the princess and make sure her escort is ready for trouble. After that, send the men to the throne room and bring the princess to me here. I must speak with her urgently."

He knelt. "I shall."

"Rise. Higgs, can you write?"

"Y-Yes!" she said.

"Good. I want you to send a message to Queen Moon. Should things go awry, we will have need of reinforcements. After that, find the other squires and any men that might have wandered off. Bring them to the throne room, we will need all our swords should things go south."

"Right!"

"Good. Now, the two of you, _go._ "

-o-

"I'm tired of waiting," said the princess, arms crossed over her chest. She wore a blue-green shirt and striped leggings. Marco, just behind her, wore his usual red hoodie and black pants. Griff stood behind them in armor and cloak, his helmet under one arm. Behind him stood the assembled knights of Princess Star's escort. "We want to see Princess Andromeda. Now."

Prince Vaerys sat on a throne of gilded wood, one hand under his chin. His eyes were bored, though he was scowling. "My lady," he said, stretching, "please understand, my young niece is unwell. If we should rouse her—"

"We know about the dreamwine."

The reaction was instantaneous. The prince straightened, eyes wide for a moment before they returned to normal. The golden crown he wore seemed to catch on fire as it wobbled in the sunlight. "What dreamwine?"

"The dreamwine you requested from Doctor Theseus. You've been asking for a cupful every few weeks for the last half-year."

"I have trouble sleeping. By back ails me so."

"And yet your brother and sister-in-law were reported to have died suddenly in their sleep. That alone would be strange enough, but some of your guards said you had a private meal with them the night before their passing. If you had, I don't know, saved the dreamwine instead of drinking it, you could have poured it in their wine when you served them."

The prince's eyes tightened. "A very smart girl indeed, but there is no solid evidence for this."

"Then let me see Princess Andromeda. I've already sent word of my suspicions to my parents. It'll only be a matter of time until you've got an army at your gates. Let me see the princess, and we can work this out."

The prince scowled but said, "Very well. Sir Marbran, bring my niece down."

"At once, Your Grace." The balding knight left the hall quickly, armored boots clanking off the floor. He returned a few moments later, Princess Andromeda following shortly behind.

The princess was a comely girl, no older than Princess Star, with short golden hair and grey-green eyes. Her skin was free of blemishes except for a small red pimple right in the middle of her forehead. She wore a dress of blue and gold cloth with an amethyst necklace dangling from her creamy neck.

"Princess Andromeda," said Star, smiling," do you remember me? My name is—"

"—Star Butterfly." Her voice was soft and she refused to bring her gaze higher than Star's chest. "We used to play together as children. Our parents were f-friends." Her voice trembled at the last word.

Griff removed a handkerchief from his gauntlet and gently wiped away a tear that had begun to fall. The girl flinched, as though she were unsure if he had wholesome intentions. _What has happened to you?_ "Are you well, my lady?"

"Y-Yes, sir. I am most well."

"Andromeda," said Princess Star, taking the other girl's hands into her own, "are you sure about that?"

The girl nodded. "Yes, my lady. My intended has been oh so helpful in this trying time."

Star cocked her head. "Your intended?"

"Me." Prince Vaerys stood and put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "When Andromeda here reaches womanhood, we shall be wed, and live in perfect harmony and happiness."*

Star flinched, and Marco said, " _What?_ "

The prince gave him a venomous look. "What? Andromeda here needs a strong husband to help her rule."

"That's insane! She's your _niece_."

"Please," said Princess Andromeda, eyes wet, "you do not understand. My uncle—" Something caught Griff's attention. He took hold of her wrist and pulled back the sleeve. A large purple welt was forming on her arm, just below the wrist.

"Gods above," he whispered. "My lady, have you been beaten?"

Suddenly the girl burst into tears and threw herself at him. "I want to go, I want to go, I want to go; please, sir, don't make me stay here anymore. The Kingsguard, they—"

Sir Marbran wrenched the girl away and struck her with a mailed gauntlet. "Hold your tongue, girl." Red blood ran from the girl's broken lip as she cried on the floor.

Suddenly Brightflame was in hand, flames streaking up the blade as Griff charged. Sir Marbran was able to get his blade up, but he was old and slow, and only managed to block three strikes before Griff took his head off. It rolled away, eyes wide.

All around them guards came rushing in, spears and swords and axes ready. Star's men were ready too, having already bared their steel. The princess raised her wand as her friend got into a fighting stance.

" _I WILL HAVE ORDER!"_ cried Prince Vaerys, face purple.

"You're a dead man," said Griff.

"You can't kill me, not with my guards all around you."

"And you can't kill us, or the entire strength of the Butterfly Kingdom will come crashing down on you."

Prince Vaerys seemed to hesitate. "A trial, then. You cannot prove I am guilty, not without any evidence."

"We have her." Princess Star pointed at Princess Andromeda, who was sobbing softly to herself.

That set the prince back. "No," he said. "I will not put my beloved through such hardship. We shall have a trial by battle. You shall fight my champion to determine my guilt."

"Champion _s_." Griff sheathed his sword.

The prince blinked. "What?"

"Princess Andromeda named all of your Kingsguard as guilty, so they must needs fight for themselves, and you will join them, since Sir Marbran lost his head. You and your champions verses me and my champions." When the prince paled, Griff knew he had won. "We must have a trail of seven."

* * *

* Often in medieval times, it was not uncommon for uncles and nieces/aunts and nephews to be wed, considering they weren't considered "true family" and people had a very limited knowledge of genes; it was also common for invading kingdoms to marry the female heirs of other kingdoms to support their legitimacy.

A/N: Thanks for reading, please leave a review telling me what you thought.

Bye!


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